William R. Williams, Conductor

Founded in 1977, the primary focus of the Preparatory Orchestra is to provide a rich and rewarding educational experience for musicians who wish to play within a full orchestra while increasing their knowledge of music and performing with peers having similar interests and abilities. The Preparatory Orchestra provides a solid foundation for younger students to learn to play within a full orchestra under the direction of a professional conductor. Students learn to follow the lead of a conductor, understand music notation, style, and to perform before live audiences.

 

William R. Williams, Conductor

Established in 1994, the Discovery Orchestra is an intermediate to advanced level, full orchestra for upper elementary, junior high and senior high school students up to eighteen years of age. It continues the musical experience begun with the Preparatory Orchestra by providing an opportunity for young musicians to perform a wide variety of repertoire.

 

Dr. Richard Loheyde, Conductor

Youth Orchestra membership is comprised of advanced students, many of whom started in the Preparatory and earned their position in the Youth Orchestra through growth, experience and skill. Youth Orchestra members typically have more performing opportunities than students in the Preparatory and Discovery Orchestras and must be committed to a strict routine of rehearsals, private lessons, and at-home practice. Music performed is from the standard symphonic orchestral repertoire.

 

Linda Ghidossi-DeLuca, Music Director

In January 1998, through the Santa Rosa Symphony Music Education Program, Linda Ghidossi-DeLuca established the Young People’s Chamber Orchestra. A twenty-member (all strings) ensemble, this group is modeled after the New Century Chamber Orchestra (NCCO), performing without a conductor. It takes the traditional orchestra performance one step further by molding a group of highly trained string students into a virtuoso, conductorless ensemble: creating, through performance, education, and accessibility, a personal connection with its audience, and conveying the joy of music directly to its listeners. This ensemble was featured during the 2006 Berkeley Junior Bach Festival and is the first of its kind in northern California.