The most comprehensive ensemble program in New Hampshire established in 1983 (as the Greater Manchester Youth Symphony Orchestra, or GMYSO) has flourished over the past 24 years. Now consisting of many ensembles, a young musician can develop his or her skills and move progressively to each, under the guidance of specialized faculty members. The membership of New Hampshire Youth Ensembles at MCMS is comprised of several ensembles with nearly 200 young musicians from more than 50 communities in New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. The program provides an opportunity for the development of musical skills and technical abilities leading to mastery of an instrument and an understanding of music literature.
String Preparatory Orchestra
Performing both classical and contemporary literature, students gain experience in ensemble playing while improving individual skills. Past repertoire includes works by Sibelius, Mozart and Haydn.
Deborah Markow, Conductor
Tuesday 5:30-6:30 pm
Tuition $425/Sept-May
Concert Orchestra
Incorporates a string orchestra with a visiting wind and percussion section. The ensemble learns a wide variety of age-appropriate literature for full orchestra and string orchestra.
Barbara Schwalbe, Conductor
Tuesday 4:30 – 6:00 pm.
Tuition $460 Sept. – May
Symphony Orchestra
Performs high-level symphonic literature for advanced string, wind and percussion students. Past repertoire includes works by Leonard Bernstein, Tschaikowsky, and Bizet.
Benjamin Greene, Conductor
Tuesday 6:30-8:30 pm
Tuition $460 /Sept-May
NH Youth Wind Ensembles at MCMS
Anthony DiBartolomeo, Program Director
Unique to the Wind Program is the opportunity for students to work in smaller chamber ensembles as well as full wind ensembles. Students improve playing skills while gaining a greater knowledge of wind and percussion repertoire.
Wind Ensemble
This ensemble, for the outstanding wind and percussion players at the advanced high school level (open to grades 8 – 12), will focus on small group wind playing. Instrumentation will be flexible, and emphasis will be on exposing students to the broad range of instrumental music composed for chamber wind ensemble and full band.
Anthony DiBartolomeo, conductor
Wednesday 6:30 – 8:30 pm.
Tuition $ 460 Sept. – May
Concert Band
Designed primarily for woodwind, brass and percussion students in grades 6 through 9, this concert band will build essential skills in ensemble playing. Students will be challenged by a wide variety of age-appropriate literature for the young musician.
Andrew Lalos and Edward Doyle, conductors
Wednesday 5:00 -6:30 pm.
Tuition $460 Sept. – May
NH Youth Jazz Ensembles at MCMS
Richard Maynard, Program Director
Jazz study is offered on all instruments and in voice at all levels and for all ages. The following ensembles give vocal students and instrumentalists an opportunity to develop skills in performance and technique at the very highest level. Specialized private studio instruction is also available for all instruments.
New Hampshire Youth Jazz Singers
The vocal ensemble will consist of 4 part voicing: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass. Music of composers George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington and from the Great American Song Book will be featured. Jazz theory, harmony and vocal improvisation will be explored.
Richard Maynard, Conductor
Monday 7:00 – 830 pm.
Tuition $460 Sept. - May
New Hampshire Youth Jazz Ensemble I
A fast paced, high-level jazz performance ensemble consists of the area's top high school (and the occasional middle school) jazz musicians. This ensembles primary focus is on developing the student’s technique, improvisational skills and deepening their understanding of jazz. Challenging repertoire will include standard, classic and modern jazz charts. Instrumentation to include saxophone, (doubling preferred) trumpet, trombone, tuba, bass, (electric and acoustic preferred) guitar, piano, drums, and vibraphone. Besides great improvisers, we seek STRONG CLASSICAL PERFORMERS with an interest in jazz as well!
Scott Grant and Carl Benevides, Conductors
Ages: Grades 9-12
Monday 6:00 – 8:00pm
Tuition $460Sept. - May
New Hampshire Youth Jazz Ensemble II
This jazz performance ensemble will meet the needs of up and coming jazz players. Students will develop the basic skills of the jazz language in an ensemble setting. There will be a strong emphasis on ensemble playing, jazz style and articulation and improvisation. Designed to develop knowledge of jazz repertoire through performance while building essential skills.
Carl Benevides and Scott Grant, Conductors
Monday 6:00 – 8:00 pm.
Tuition $460 Sept - May
Claudette Macomber and Cynthia Verrill, conductors
Comprised of two different choruses, The New Hampshire Children’s Chorus provides children the opportunity to realize their potential as musicians and to discover their ability to achieve excellence through the joy of singing. The ensembles use choral repertoire of the highest artistic value to support the development of the voice and to build the singers musical vocabulary.
Prelude Chorus
Ages: Grades 1 – 3
Class Time: Wednesday 3:30-4:30
Tuition: $425 Sept – May
New Hampshire Children's Chorus
Ages: Grades 4 – 8
Class Time: Wednesday 4:30 – 5:30 pm
Tuition $425 Sept - May
Photo credtis: Myndi Bogdanovich, Keith Spiro