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DOWNBEAT | ESYO NEWS & UPDATES
APRIL EDITION- 2020

THE GREAT INDOORS! ESYO CONTINUES ONLINE

Music Director Carlos Ágreda and SpongeBob SquarePants got together to premiere a new music video about the joys of the great indoors!

ESYO is staying home now, so we can perform together later. But, this doesn't mean that ESYO has stopped. ESYO is working diligently to keep 600 young musicians as engaged as possible, virtually.

Our conductors and teaching artists are using techniques familiar to their students and giving listening exercises, practice challenges, and general support. They are making use of outstanding virtual platforms that are keeping each musician focused and engaged. The main goal is to keep each musician playing through the pause.


MUSICIAN SPOTLIGHT | ESYO violist to perform with top-tier national youth orchestra!

Each year, 100 of the nation's most advanced musicians, aged 14-18, come together at Los Angeles's Walt Disney Concert Hall to perform as part of a top-tier national youth orchestra. It is all part of the LA Philharmonic's YOLA National Festival, which spotlights exceptional talent from El Sistema-inspired programs from across the United States. Following a rigorous nationwide audition process, Schenectady High School sophomore and ESYO violist Eric Mulero will represent the Capital Region, ESYO and CHIME at the 2020 National YOLA National Festival.

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ESYO Sounding Together! #MusicIsNotCancelled Did you know? Symphony means "sounding together."

Just because ESYO cannot get together to perform on stage, music lives. #MusicIsNotCancelled
Members and alumni are showing the world that ESYO is "sounding together" online. Be part of the movement! Turn your living room into a studio, record yourself playing, and post it on Instagram using #MusicIsNotCancelled. Tag @EmpireStateYO and your video will be posted on ESYO.org in a virtual concert hall. Be part of the movement!

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ESYO Tuba Players Hit the Virtual Stage with a Spirited Premiere!

ESYO tuba player, Elihu Conant-Haque used his time at home to compose a brand new duet. After he finished the tune, he reached out to his stand partner, Goni Ronen, and started to plan its premiere.

With the help of the Acapella app, Elihu and Goni were able to use their smartphones to record their performance from their living rooms. Using the app they were able to sync their videos and create a side by side virtual performance.

The 1-minute duet was premiered last week on Instagram as part of ESYO's campaign #MusicIsNotCancelled.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO

CHIME | ONLINE ENGAGEMENT & ATTENDANCE STRONG

"Ohhh!" Thats the sound of learning. During an online lesson, a student from Van Corlear realized that an eighth rest and eighth note shared the same value. Last week 80% of CHIME students at Yates Elementary attended their private lesson online.

ESYO ONLINE | POWERED BY GOOGLE CLASSROOM

It's been 2 weeks since ESYO started moving towards virtual learning. We are challenged to learn, but not in a classroom. We are challenged to practice, but not with a stand partner. Starting in April, Google Classroom will become the hub for ensemble communication and online learning.

ESYO CELLIST REGIONAL YOUNG ARTIST COMPETITION

Brava! ESYO cellist Joyce Cheng, 17, won the 2020 James and Katherine Andrews Young Artist Competition hosted by the Orchestra of Northern New York. Joyce has been playing cello since she was 9 years old and joined ESYO in 2015.  READ MORE 


ONLINE LEARNING TOOLS & RESOURCES

Starting April 6, 2020, Google Classroom will be the hub for ensemble communication and learning. ESYO teaching artists and conductors have worked hard to get each virtual rehearsal room up and running.

Here is a quick list of what ESYO members will need: Computer with a web camera, tablet or smartphone, internet access, and a google account. Click here to download ESYO's Guide to Online Learning.

RESOURCES FOR MUSIC TEACHERS

Teaching online can present many challenges and finding the right platform and educational content can be daunting. Here are a few websites that we've found.

Smart Music- A web-based suite of tools for music teachers- Virtual practice tools, built-in music library, integrated sight-reading exercises, and virtual accompanists.

Noteflight- An online learning website designed for music educators. The platform features over 100 sample lesson plans, free tutorial videos for teachers, and a podcast about teaching music in an online world.

Acapella- Fun and powerful app for iPhone that allows students to record, edit, collaborate and share music from their mobile phone.

Google Classroom- An integrated virtual learning platform from Google. Google Classroom streamlines communication with students. Teachers can schedule lessons with Google Calendar, post and assess assignments, and hold real-time classes or lessons online using Google Meet. Plus, Google Classroom is FREE.

MusicTheory.net- Free ear training and theory exercises.

NyPhilKids.org- A fun and interactive website for elementary students with free educational games, videos, and fun facts.

Classicsforkids.com- Free daily music activities for teachers and parents.

Don't forget to check out YourClassical.org and NPR Classical for a list of free concert broadcasts and online music streams.

APPS TO USE AT HOME WITH MUSICIANS OF ALL AGES

"Hello Everybody" - Ages 1-7 available for iPhone and Android.

"Mazaam the Musical Genius"  - Ages 4-8 available for iPhone and Android.

"Jungle Music" - Ages 7-12 only for Android. The full version is $2. A great app to improve sight reading.

"GarageBand"  - Ages 11+ only for iPhone and Mac iOS. GarageBand is a virtual recording studio app.

"Music Maker Jam" - Ages 11+ Android and iPhone. A great cross platform alternative to GarageBand.


SKIP THE LINES, AVOID THE CROWDS, SHOP ONLINE WITH A SMILE!

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Stay home now, so we can enjoy music together later. Get all your essentials online through Amazon and support ESYO. Visit smile.amazon.com, select Empire State Youth Orchestra as your charity of choice, shop for what you need online, and check out. Amazon will donate a portion of your purchase to ESYO. Set smile.amazon.com as your default amazon homepage and support ESYO every time you shop.