MISSOULA – They are considered the top musicians representing Missoula’s three high schools.
We headed over to a Missoula Youth Symphony rehearsal were students come together to create something special for this Arts and Education report.
The Missoula Youth Symphony is comprised of 80 high school students from across Missoula County. Auditions are held in the fall with only the top musicians being chosen for the symphony.
So yeah…These kids are really good.
“I think people are always so impressed when they come to concerts by the high level that high school kids can perform,” Missoula Youth Symphony Director Ryan Davis said.
“I know many people come and they are like, wow, we had no idea high school kids could sound like that. It is really impressive and we really enjoyed that. So I am always really proud of them and really impressed by their work,” he added.
Practices are held every Tuesday evening for about two hours and for many of the kids the time spent is some of the best two hours of the week.
“I absolutely love the symphony. I look forward to it every Tuesday night. It is just so fun, I have been doing this since I started high school. It’s always a place where I can just play music with fun people and other great musicians,” said junior Rylee Owens.
The kids love playing music, however, the Missoula Youth Symphony can be so much more than that.
The relationships and friendships made here are for many of these kids what keep them coming back each year — and that is what senior Elise Baker will miss the most.
“I am going to miss it so much, you have no idea. I think about that almost every day, how much I am going to miss Mr. Davis,” Baker said.
“He is one of my favorite people on the whole planet. And I am just going to miss every aspect of orchestra and all my friends and the community — the community more than anything really,” Baker said.
You can see these talented musicians perform at their winter concert scheduled for Wednesday, December 5 at 7 p.m. in the Hellgate High School auditorium.
