Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra: Symphonic Masterworks at Fred Kavli Theatre

The Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra (CVYO) began in 1961 with its founder, Betty Bowen at California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California. The aim was to create a program that would develop and enhance the music education of local students while providing them with an excellent symphonic orchestral music experience. They have collaborated with organizations with similar goals— promoting performance arts and offering opportunities that are not readily available to music students in the community.

Throughout the decades, many of their enrolled students have decided to pursue music as their career and have enrolled in some of the premier music schools in the country.

The CVYO enrolls more than 250 students across their different programs. Students, representing communities from Ventura and Los Angeles counties, start learning music as early as 5 years of age up until 21. They rehearse weekly from September through June and now and present their hard work in a concert.

The CVYO consists of 5 ensembles, all of which will be performing at the June Gala Concert: Symphonic Masterworks. Each ensemble is designed to group students to their level of playing, teaching them the most complex and profound symphonic music in our history.

The Youth Strings ensemble consists of 40-80 musicians. This is where most string players begin their orchestral journey. They are taught nuance, technique, and etiquette to prepare them for advancement.

The Flore Ensemble has 20-30 musicians. It is an extension of Youth Strings that prepares develop young students for advancement to leadership positions and graduating to Preparatory Orchestra. They tackle more challenging repertoire and are selected by invitation based on their audition performance or first rehearsal performance.

The Preparatory Orchestra is a full symphonic orchestra that features 60-80 experienced string players and most junior wind, brass, and percussion players. In this ensemble, they are taught how to blend with their fellow musicians in an orchestra and they have the chance to hone their technical and expressive skills further with intermediate and standard symphonic repertoire.

The Symphony Orchestra is the home to the most experienced musicians: string, wind, brass, and percussion players and is considered the flagship ensemble of the organization. With 70-90 players, they study and perform the largest and most significant symphonic works across history.

The fifth and last ensemble is called the Virtuosi. It is a chamber orchestra that helps musicians focus on refining their craft beyond their peers. To be in this ensemble, you need to be invited after a principal audition.

Incredible work is being done to hone the students' skills and inspire them to pursue music. The Spring Gala Concert: Symphonic Works will feature their long months of hard work. It's a showcase of masterful young talents and masterpieces in all of music literature. Don't miss this marvelous performance and the chance to support the young generation! Get your tickets now!