Junior Clarice Sigsworth reminisced about the first time she heard a brass ensemble play an arrangement of “Moon River. The musicians cultivated a sound that Sigsworth found beautiful. She listens to it on her iPod still, and the piece inspired her to pick up the trombone in the fifth grade band. Artists often create songs to express feelings such as sorrow, love, anger or happiness. They try to produce the perfect sound that captures these emotions for their audiences. To improve, many musicians put in a lot of practice, time and passion.

Four juniors at Revere High School all share a love for music and participate in different youth symphonies and orchestras around Northeast Ohio. The chance to play with these prestigious groups allows for a different learning environment and opportunities to play alongside other talented musicians.

After elementary school, Sigsworth continued playing the trombone. During middle school, she participated in a youth wind ensemble. Now, Sigsworth sings in the Revere High School choir and plays with the Canton Youth Symphony. Sigsworth also explained that watching the Revere High School band perform during halftime inspired her to tap into her musical side.

“Hearing the high school marching band and seeing the trombones do the trombone suicides and dance around got me started. My dad played trumpet in high school, [but I was] the first one of the three Sigsworth kids to play an instrument. It found me,” Sigsworth said.

Ben Mullaly, also a junior at Revere High School, cannot resist the urge to tap a rhythm. His mother, Michelle Mullaly, CEO of the Canton Orchestra, noticed her son constantly drumming on his legs, which is why Michelle suggested Ben try percussion. Ben decided to play and absolutely loved it. He has participated in a youth orchestra since the sixth grade and played with the school band since the seventh grade. Ben discussed the youth group’s dynamic.

“We joke around, but still get stuff done. Everyone is really mature even though it’s a young group of kids. I am a junior [in high school] but some kids are not even in high school yet. We all can have mature conversations,” Mullaly said.

At the age of six, junior Mike Miller started taking piano lessons. In the fourth grade, Miller began violin lessons. He takes lessons for both instruments, but focuses more on the violin. Miller participated in the Akron Philharmonic until freshman year. Currently, he is the first chair second violin for the Akron Youth Symphony. Miller practices frequently. He attends a lesson with his violin instructor Cory Smith for an hour after school every Friday. In addition, Mike meets with the Akron Youth Symphony every Sunday for three hours to practice for concerts.

“It is intensive. It’s solid playing. We have to practice at home. [We] usually have three regular performances and one reduced orchestra performance. They take the top people from each section, and they play a smaller song. That is the one I am looking forward to most,” Miller said.  

During his last year of elementary school, junior Peter Feher discovered a passion for the flute and piccolo. As a sixth grader, he started taking private lessons. He now studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) and has a chair with the Cleveland Orchestra’s Youth Orchestra (COYO) for the flute.

Feher, who started playing with COYO this year, plays with musicians ranging from twelve to eighteen years old. Brett Mitchell, the assistant conductor to the Cleveland Orchestra, leads the group. There are also administrators and a librarian to ensure everything runs smoothly. To be selected in such a group, Feher had to audition. He explained the various steps of the process.

“I had to take a mini orchestral audition, so I had to play a solo piece for my instrument and I had to play a couple of orchestral pieces. They are standard ones, but they are hard. I had played them before but they are still difficult. I practiced a lot,” Feher said.

Mullaly, Sigsworth, and Miller had to audition as well. Mullaly and Sigsworth got to select two pieces and audition for their conductor, Rachel Wadel, the assistant conductor for the Canton Symphony. Miller also played a piece for his conductor, Levi Hammer, the assistant conductor of the Akron Symphony. Ben selected music that he was familiar with.

“I did a snare piece from my one book and I did and excerpt from Beethoven 5 [for Wadel]. I like my conductor. She is really cool. She is studying [music] in Las Vegas and is in college,” Mullaly said.

The Canton Youth Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra’s Youth Orchestra, and Akron Youth Symphony perform three standard concerts and a few less formal ones. The side performances are usually to prepare for the three bigger concerts. Miller noted that the Akron Youth Symphony has not performed their first formal concert yet, but they did participate in one concert this past August.

“We did have one concert. I was the first second violin for that concert. We played a concert with a 60s rocker, Todd Rundgren. It was pretty cool. He talked to us about organizational stuff. It was fun. We got to play at the [Akron Civic Theater] and play his songs,” Miller said.

The youth groups meet once a week to practice for the most part. Feher meets at Severance Hall. Miller meets at Guzzetta Hall which is on the Akron University campus. Sigsworth and Mullaly meet at a church. Practice ranges from three to four hours of playing. Sigsworth enjoys playing with the rest of her symphony because it offers her a chance to study more challenging music.

“I like getting to learn the different kinds of music of more advanced levels that you can’t always access in high school ensembles. Also, playing in an orchestra is different because there are strings. [There are] different things you have to be sensitive to as a musician,” Sigsworth said.

Even though Canton is a little way from home, Mullaly does not mind the late night practice. He manages to find time for homework and to play with his group. He especially likes the Canton area.

“I like that I can talk to musicians from the Canton area. It is hard to get your homework done because you have to bring everything with you and do it in-between songs. We have a fifteen minute break to do it…unless you want to do it at 9:30 at night, but it is definitely worth it,” Mullaly said.

Sigsworth, Feher, Miller, and Mullaly will continue playing with their youth groups until their senior years. After senior year, musicians are no longer eligible for the youth group. However, after participating with the orchestras and symphonies, they will have gained a lot of experience and have played alongside many other skilled musicians. Scholarships are awarded to qualified musicians; so, many opportunities may present themselves come senior year.