The Beaufort Symphony Orchestra is not only a performing organization, but also provides opportunities
for young musicians to develop their talent as members of the Beaufort Symphony Youth Orchestra.
In the spring of 1999, Frederick Devyatkin realized a dream of forming a youth orchestra. With the backing of the Board and widespread parental and community support, a nucleus of young players presented their first concert. The Youth Orchestra has grown to 50 plus members, many of whom donate time and talent for fundraising events sponsored by the orchestra.
The Beaufort Symphony Orchestra board is excited and happy to announce the 2024-2025 schedule for the Beaufort Symphony Youth Orchestra (BSYO). We plan six concerts, with two in the Fall, Winter and Spring. (The following venues may not be confirmed; please check back to verify our calendar.)
Please go to our FaceBook page for up-to-date information and concert locations. Call or email Don Rexrode, our Youth Orchestra contact: 4 1 0 - 5 0 7 - 4 3 4 9 or Email Youth Orchestra
Part of the Beaufort Symphony Youth Orchestra mission, as a component of the Beaufort Symphony Orchestra, is to demonstrate to our students in the Youth Orchestra what a musical career can look like and/or how they can continue to play music for the rest of their lives no matter where they live as long as there is a community orchestra nearby. We are taking a two prong approach:
Each year, to demonstrate how music could be their career, we bring in young new talent as guest solo artists. We invite the students to attend rehearsals and spend a little time with our artists to get to know them on a personal level. For those students who are advanced in their skills, Fred invites them to join the Beaufort Symphony and experience how a Community Orchestra operates and what a professional orchestra requires of its participants.
Our motto is encouragement. We invite all students to participate whether they are home schooled or are students in our private or public institutions. We do require our students to audition, which provides experience in auditioning and gives each student an opportunity for advancement year after year. Particularly with our string section, the auditions provide for some friendly competition on who has made the most improvement over the summer. To encourage growth in the skills of our students, we offer various forms of scholarships. Private lessons (with practice time) have the most significant impact on our students. They learn to work hard, to be accountable for their lessons, and through that, they develop a deeper love of music and/or their instrument. Private lesson are particularly important for our younger students to help them quickly adjust to this new environment (the Orchestra). And for our more advanced students to help them take their skills to a level enabling them to attend prestigious music camps like Brevard and/or the Governor's School or study music in College.
For many years now, we also have a strings feeder program developed by Ami Rabinowitz. This program under Ami's
tutelage has grown into a small cadet orchestra and year round mentoring for 4 quartets. Anyone interested in joining
an ensemble or having private lessons may call or email Ami for information:
8 4 3 - 2 6 3 - 6 4 3 9 or
Email Ami.
Our students are invited to share their gifts through performances and events in our community. We give three concerts
(each played twice at different venues) for a total of six performances in Beaufort County throughout the year. We now have
between 45-50 students participating in our program each year. If you have not been to a concert yet...plan on attending this season!
All contributions are tax deductible. We rely on the generosity of donations to provide scholarship funds for students
to further their study in music. If you would like to help, please call or email Don Rexrode for the Youth Orchestra:
4 1 0 - 5 0 7 - 4 3 4 9 or
Email Youth Orchestra.
Go to our Gallery for more photos.
“Keep the Music Live!”
Youth Orchestra performances are free. Please use the button below to contribute to the on-going expenses of the BYSO.
- Choose either One-Time or Monthly donation
- Enter your contact information
- Choose "Youth Orchestra" in the dropdown list
- And please remember to consider adding a contribution to Zeffy to help Zeffy to cover our donation-transaction fees.
The associated dropdown menu gives you options.
Do you want to join the BSYO? Young musicians interested in performing with the Beaufort Symphony Youth Orchestra should call or email Don Rexrode: 4 1 0 - 5 0 7 - 4 3 4 9 or Email Youth Orchestra.
Audition requirements: Interested musicians should be prepared to play a scale, a prepared piece, and sight-read.
WINTER AUDITIONS:
TBD ... 6:00-8:00 pm
SUMMER AUDITIONS:
TBD ... 6:00-8:00 pm
For more information and opportunities to help or to perform with the Youth Orchestra, contact:
☛ Don Rexrode at 4 1 0 - 5 0 7 - 4 3 4 9
or Email Youth Orchestra
☛ Frederick Devyatkin at 9 1 2 - 2 3 2 - 7 2 5 0
or Email Fred Devyatkin.
There are many ways to contribute to our students growth in the program.
Student scholarships to cover dues so that EVERY child who wants to join our Youth
Orchestra can. Annual fees are $160/per student.
Lesson scholarships to cover 50% of the weekly private lesson cost.
Annual scholarships available for $1200/student or monthly scholarships available for $200.
Instruments. Some of our students cannot afford their own instrument so they have to borrow the one from school.
Well, that means they don't take it home to practice most of the time. So, if you have a used instrument that you no longer utilize ...
Summer camp scholarships to allow our students to attend beginner Orchestra camps that are typically a week long
up to more advanced institutions such as Brevard or Meadowmount which offer 6 week programs.
With the aid of Orchestra and community-based scholarships, a number of former members are continuing their musical educations. Other contributions provide funds for individual lessons and summer music camp opportunities for the next generation of orchestra musicians.
