The Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra will present a free concert by SCVYO’s Guitar Orchestra in the Choir Room at Pico Canyon Hall, located on the College of the Canyons’ Valencia campus, on Saturday, December 14 beginning at 7 p.m.

While most people expect orchestras to have instruments such as flutes, trumpets, violins, and percussion, the SCVYO’s Guitar Orchestra is a unique music program consisting entirely of guitars, as one might expect from the name.

With players ranging from beginners to advanced players, the ensemble unites all to play outstanding music together.

December 14’s “Small Ensembles Concert” will feature both the Guitar Orchestra and groups from SCVYO’s Chamber Music program.

Arranged by innovative guitar musician and Director Jim Jeffrey, the pieces to be performed have been custom-arranged for the musicians of this unique orchestra. Parts have been separated and recombined to accommodate the beginner guitarists to play in harmony with the more advanced few. Students who are just starting their music career in guitar are given the opportunity to play and learn next to those who have been playing for decades.

In addition to the Guitar Orchestra, the Chamber Music program, under the direction of world-class violinist Rachel Iba, will play three classical pieces. Coaches also include our Intermediate Orchestra String Coach, violinist Xaman Kryger, and our Librarian, cellist Peter Walsh.

Unlike all of the other SCVYO ensembles, chamber musicians are the only groups that perform without a conductor – relying completely on non-verbal communication signals between players to coordinate ensemble tempo, cutoffs, and dynamics – it’s a real-time negotiation.

Together, Iba and Jeffrey, both world-class musicians, will finish the night’s performance with the duet “Histoire du Tango” composed by Astor Piazzolla. The duet is not to be missed, for Iba will perform her part on violin and Jeffrey on guitar.

In 2014, Iba was awarded the top violin prize from Oberlin Conservatory. She also holds an MFA from California Institute of the Arts. Jeffrey has earned a Master of Fine Arts in Performer-Composer from the California Institute of the Arts and a Bachelors of Music from Youngstown State University, with his concentration in guitar.

About the SCV Youth Orchestra
Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has served the Santa Clarita Valley community and surrounding areas for more than 50 years, providing a variety of enriching instrumental education programs for students eight years and older. To learn more about SCVYO programs or to donate, please visit www.scvyo.org. For more information contact the Executive Director at info@scvyo.org.