Type of Ensemble: An intermediate string orchestra including violins, violas, cellos, and basses.
2022-23 Enrollment: 62
Typical Symphonette Students: Symphonette members are generally from the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area and from as far as West Virginia and Ohio. While auditions are based on playing level and not age, most students are between 11-16 years old, with some younger and some older students.
Conductor: Pierce Cook is the conductor of Symphonette. See Artistic Staff for more information about Mr. Cook.
Coaches: Students break out into monthly sectionals to focus on technique and their individual parts. Symphonette coaching staff is drawn from members of the Pittsburgh Symphony and other professional local teaching artists. See Artistic Staff for more information about Symphonette’s artistic staff.
Mascot: Contraporktus is the official unofficial mascot of Symphonette! Tune in to Instagram to see rehearsals, concerts, and SYM behind the scenes from the Contraporktus porkspective.
Performances: Symphonette performs two to four concerts a year, depending on the season. Performances have taken place at Carnegie Music Hall of Oakland, Heinz Hall, and other local schools. We presented Virtual Exhibitions during COVID-19 and performed our first concert back with an audience in January 2022 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. We will continue to plan in-person events within whatever COVID protocols are in place at the time.
Rehearsals: Rehearsals were in-person in the 2022-23 season, with the option for students to stream in to a live Zoom feed if they have a COVID exposure or are otherwise unwell. In the 2022-23 season, Symphonette met on Saturday mornings from 9:30 AM -12:00 PM at the Mary Pappert School of Music, Duquesne University. We are pleased to offer a rehearsal venue at a convenient uptown location centrally located for families in the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area.
Retreats: We are SO happy to announce that our season starter retreat is back! Mini-Camp is an intensive retreat with TRYPO artistic and administrative staff, as well as TRYPO parent chaperones, where members will dig in on the season’s repertoire and spend some time getting to know each other as well! Mini-Camp 2023 will be held at Ligonier Camp on Labor Day Weekend for YPO and Symphonette Members. Attendance is mandatory.
Travel: TRYPO believes that performing while traveling uniquely cements a student’s relationship with music and strives for its large ensembles to travel every three years. The 2014-15 season was a travel year for Symphonette, which had a day trip to the Chautauqua Institute. During the 2017-18 season, Symphonette participated in a dual exchange with the Youth Philharmonic from the DC Youth Orchestra program. In the 2022-23 Season, Symphonette and Wind Symphony travelled to Washington DC to work with members of military ensembles and perform a local concert. There is an extra fee for travel opportunities in addition to regular tuition, but scholarship and fund-raising opportunities for student fees are also available. All Symphonette students are expected and encouraged to travel with Symphonette during a travel season. However, with proper notice, permission to miss the trip may be granted without jeopardizing the student’s membership in the orchestra.
Auditions: Symphonette has auditions every May/June for entry to the next season. See New Member Auditions for more information on joining Symphonette and current openings (if any).
Repertoire: Symphonette performs challenging repertoire for string orchestra according to their level of playing abilities. Recent repertoire selections have included:
- Bach – Contrapunctus I from The Art of the Fugue: 21-22 Season
- Newbold – The Odyssey (Journey of Odysseus): 21-22 Season
- Wenrich – Red Rose Rag: 20-21 Season
- Mozart – Divertimento in D Major: 20-21 Season
- Pachelbel – Canon in D: 20-21 Season
- Handel – Water Music Suites: 19-20 Season
- Bach – “Air on the G String” from Orchestral Suite No. 3: 19-20 Season
- Finzi – Prelude for Strings: 18-19 Season
- Warlock – Capriol Suite: 18-19 Season
- Handel – Concerto grosso, op. 6 no. 6 in G minor: 17-18 Season
- Elgar – Serenade for strings in E minor: 16-17 Season
- Part – Summafor Strings: 16-17 Season
- Respighi – Ancient Airs and Dances: 16-17 Season
- Rutter – Suite for Strings: 16-17 Season
- Grieg – Two Elegiac Melodies: 16-17 Season
- Handel – Concerto Grosso, Op. 6, No. 7 in B flat Major, HWV325: 15-16 Season
- Janáček – Idyllfor String Orchestra: 15-16 Season
- Mendelssohn – String Symphony No. 8 in D Major: 15-16 Season
- Telemann – Viola Concerto in G Major, TWV 51:G9 (featuring Marylène Gingras-Roy, viola): 15-16 Season
- O’Conner – Appalachia Waltz: 15-16 Season
- Bach – Brandenburg Concerto No.3 in G major, BWV 1048: 14-15 Season
- Haydn – Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Major (featuring Marta Krechkovsky, violin): 14-15 Season
Tuition: 2023-24 Tuition Fees are as follows. Visit our Tuition Assistance page for more information about scholarships.
| Symphonette Tuition Fees | Total Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $700 |
| Mini-Camp Tuition | $240 |
- Financial aid and scholarship assistance are always available, and it is easier than ever to ask for what you need. Families should not be discouraged from applying to TRYPO due to financial limitations. Visit our Tuition Assistance page for more information about scholarships.
- Family Discounts: TRYPO offers a family discount for households with a child or children registered in more than one Sep-May TRYPO program. The first enrolled program will be charged at full price, but all subsequent programs qualify for $50 off per semester ($100/year).