Toronto, ON >> Showbiz >> Celebrity Gossip >> Canadians make the cut to become part of YouTube Symphony Orchestra
Canadians make the cut to become part of YouTube Symphony Orchestra
THE CANADIAN PRESS 2009-03-02 16:27:00
TORONTO - Five Canadians are among the 90 musicians from 30 countries and territories who have earned a chance through YouTube to perform at Carnegie Hall with Michael Tilson Thomas.
YouTube invited amateur and professional musicians to submit audition videos in which they played two different pieces. A panel of judges from leading orchestras selected 200 finalists and the YouTube community voted on the 90 winners.
The five Canadians are vibraphone player Gael Chabot-Leclerc from Saguenay, Que., viola player Yunior Lopez from Toronto, violinist Donovan Seidle from Calgary, cellist Stephane Tetreault from Montreal and bass player Ian Whitman from Kitchener, Ont.
Whitman says YouTube shows how young people can be attracted to classical music.
"The only way classical music will continue on through this new generation is if we play on old instruments but advertise through new mediums," said the musician, who has studied at McGill, Yale and the New England Conservatory.
"The young audiences are on YouTube and when people hear classical music, they love it. The way to get it to them is through the sites they visit every day".
Along with the other winners, the Canadians will travel to New York City to participate in a collaborative summit for classical music April 12-15, concluding with a concert at Carnegie Hall under the baton of Thomas, music director of the San Francisco Symphony, founder of the New World Symphony and principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
"It's been a real window on the lives of music lovers everywhere who have auditioned in their dorms, practice rooms, on stages of neo-classical theatres, apartment house lobbies, on gorgeous Italian fiddles and old upright pianos," said Thomas.
The 200 finalists ranged in age from 15 to 40.
"From the undiscovered cellist to the professionally trained bassoonist, the YouTube Symphony Orchestra is a real-life example of how people can use online video to share their talents with the world," said Ed Sanders, YouTube's product marketing manager.
"Performers captured the attention of both renowned classical musicians and the YouTube community."
-
On the Net: www.YouTube.com/Symphony.
YouTube invited amateur and professional musicians to submit audition videos in which they played two different pieces. A panel of judges from leading orchestras selected 200 finalists and the YouTube community voted on the 90 winners.
The five Canadians are vibraphone player Gael Chabot-Leclerc from Saguenay, Que., viola player Yunior Lopez from Toronto, violinist Donovan Seidle from Calgary, cellist Stephane Tetreault from Montreal and bass player Ian Whitman from Kitchener, Ont.
Whitman says YouTube shows how young people can be attracted to classical music.
"The only way classical music will continue on through this new generation is if we play on old instruments but advertise through new mediums," said the musician, who has studied at McGill, Yale and the New England Conservatory.
"The young audiences are on YouTube and when people hear classical music, they love it. The way to get it to them is through the sites they visit every day".
Along with the other winners, the Canadians will travel to New York City to participate in a collaborative summit for classical music April 12-15, concluding with a concert at Carnegie Hall under the baton of Thomas, music director of the San Francisco Symphony, founder of the New World Symphony and principal guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra.
"It's been a real window on the lives of music lovers everywhere who have auditioned in their dorms, practice rooms, on stages of neo-classical theatres, apartment house lobbies, on gorgeous Italian fiddles and old upright pianos," said Thomas.
The 200 finalists ranged in age from 15 to 40.
"From the undiscovered cellist to the professionally trained bassoonist, the YouTube Symphony Orchestra is a real-life example of how people can use online video to share their talents with the world," said Ed Sanders, YouTube's product marketing manager.
"Performers captured the attention of both renowned classical musicians and the YouTube community."
-
On the Net: www.YouTube.com/Symphony.
Comments
Related Articles
Other Articles By This Writer
