Our Orchestra The Berkeley Youth Orchestra is a group of gifted and accomplished young orchestra musicians between the ages of ten and fifteen. The ensemble of nearly sixty players from all over the Bay Area rehearses on Saturday mornings during the academic year. A progressive, comprehensive program allows students to develop sight-reading, technical and musical skills while playing selections from standard orchestral repertoire.
Music is selected to represent various origins, genres and historical periods.
Musical selections for the first concert set are less difficult technically. Rehearsals focus on sight-reading technique, intonation, rhythm, ensemble, listening skills, and sound quality. As the year progresses, the focus of the program widens to include more challenging repertoire and discussion of motives, themes, phrases, forms, and more complex musical ideas. Music is selected from standard orchestral repertoire. Our Staff Music Director and Conductor Ann Krinitsky will take the podium for her tenth season with the Berkeley Youth Orchestra.