Jonathan Der, professional violinist and associate conductor of the Richmond Delta Youth Orchestra (RDYO), feels music bridges many gaps across the globe.
Along with musical director Stephen Robb, Der will be conducting 53 youth musicians at the Richmond World Festival, running Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.
Der, who is also on the Richmond Art Strategy Task Group, stresses the importance of musical education and says that “kids who have been in an orchestra actually perform better in school due to the discipline they receive.”
The task group, which consists of thirty community members involved in the Richmond art scene, was established to find out what the city can do in terms of art education and accessibility.
This is RDYO’s first time being invited by the city to perform at such a grand event and, to prepare for their 30-minute performance, the musicians will be going through a three-day intensive rehearsal session.
All the musicians performing at the World Festival volunteered their summer vacation when they heard about the invitation from the city.
RDYO currently has 160 members, ranging from ages 6 to 20; most of them are from Richmond with a few from Surrey, North Vancouver and Delta.
“Our biggest concern is finding the right venue to rehearse regularly.”
RDYO consists of junior, intermediate and senior winds and strings sections and a symphony orchestra division.
Each division has weekly rehearsals at the Brighouse United Church and the performance hall at the Richmond Cultural Centre.
But the faculty is still trying to find a rehearsal space that will fit all the divisions at once, so musicians have a chance to mingle and socialize during breaks.
RDYO will be bringing both classical and contemporary music to the main stage at the World Festival at 12 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1.
Young musicians who are interested in joining RDYO can audition for their 2018-2019 season in September.
For audition details, visit rdyo.ca/join-dyo.
