Oakland Youth Orchestras, (OYO), presents its Spring Concert on April 27th, at 6:30pm at the Oxford Performing Arts Center. The concert will feature Clarkston high school student Ethan McMurray’s orchestra piece “Dream Theme and Variations” as well as a farewell to OYO Executive Director Joanne Walle.
McMurray’s “Dream Theme and Variations”, has a whimsical, exciting sound. His composition was influenced by Stephen Sondheim, Alan Menken, and James Newton Howard, who are some of his favorite modern composers.
“It was fun to write this piece because I felt like I was telling a story. Each section has a different feel, or color, that represents the different stage of the adventure. I hope that when people hear it, their imagination takes them on a journey.”–Ethan McMurray
McMurray, a Clarkston high school senior, participates in choir, orchestra and musical theatre. He performed in The Music Man, Guys and Dolls, Newsies, and most recently Oklahoma as Will Parker. He has been playing violin since he was four and hopes to pursue a career in music composition/education.
A farewell afterglow honoring Joanne Walle, OYO Executive Director, will follow the concert.
Walle is retiring after 20 years with the organization.
Walle has been instrumental in the long-term success of OYO. She has secured grants, funding for need-based scholarships to the underprivileged, added a fourth orchestra-Studio Strings and created an outreach program to senior living centers in addition to running the day to day operations, auditions and competitions.
The four orchestras that comprise OYO will also be performing works from Joseph Haydn, Carl Orff, John Williams, and William Grant Still.
Oakland Youth Orchestras Spring Concert is April, 27, 2023 at 6:30pm. The concert will be held at the Oxford Performing Arts Center located at 745 N. Oxford Road, Oxford, MI, 48371.
Tickets will be available at the door: Adults–$10, children and students–$5.