Email sent to all DYWS applicants and parents: January 13, 2023
Dear Delaware Youth Wind Symphony students and families,
Regretfully, we write to announce the cancellation of the 2023 Delaware Youth Wind Symphony season. Over 30 students applied to participate and while interest in this group was promising, recent schedule conflicts have resulted in less than 20 students expected this Sunday. There are several necessary sections for a wind ensemble with low or no enrollment and even with flexible arrangements, the current lack of certain instrument roles would significantly impede our performance goals.
Dr. Lizak and I carefully discussed our options and made the difficult decision to postpone the DYWS launch until January 2024. Generating balanced enrollment is our top priority so a key difference next year will be to accept all interested students without audition, provided they have a recommendation from their band director.
To thank you for your effort and interest, we would like to offer these special opportunities to all students who signed up for the DYWS this year:
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Automatic acceptance into the OWU Music Festival High School Honor Band (February 17-18, 2023). Conducted by Nancy Ditmer, Professor Emeritus from The College of Wooster, this exceptional ensemble has 70 talented students confirmed from across Ohio. Your originally expected DYWS participation fee of $35 will cover all expenses, t-shirt, and meals associated with this event (regular festival price is $75). If you’ve already been accepted to participate in the OWUMF HS Honor Band, then your participation fee will only be $35. To accept this invitation, please RSVP via email to rdedward@owu.edu by Tuesday, January 17 to hold your spot in the honor band.
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Automatic acceptance in the OWU Summer Music Camp (June 18 - 23, 2023) with a special $25 discount on all camp fees. The OWU SMC features a High School Concert Band under the direction of Dr. Ishbah Cox, Director of Bands at Olentangy Orange High School. Online registration opens February 4, 2023. Camp is offered as either a day camp or an overnight camp depending on your financial and logistical preference.
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OWU Brass and Woodwind Masterclass-Dr. Lizak and I are coordinating a time with our instrumental faculty to present a masterclass for all students who were interested in the DYWS this year. Pending their schedules, we are aiming for a Sunday afternoon in March, during a time which would have normally been on your calendars for a rehearsal. We hope to have the exact date and time to you as soon as it can be confirmed with our faculty. There will be no cost to you for this masterclass!
Again, thank you for your interest and effort. We deeply appreciate all the time you’ve put into the DYWS so far and hope you’ll be back for more in 2024. The students we’ve met thus far give us confidence that there are many talented high school band members in central Ohio who are eager to see this ensemble happen.
Sincerely yours,
Rich Edwards & Chris Lizak
New in 2023!
Ohio Wesleyan University is proud to announce the inaugural season of the Delaware Youth Wind Symphony! The ensemble will be led by Dr. Rich Edwards and Dr. Chris Lizak and is open to current members of high school band programs in grades 9-12 who want to perform exciting concert band music with other talented students
We offer once a week concert band rehearsals on Sunday afternoon leading to an April concert on 4/23/23. We’re accepting applications until January 8 before our first rehearsal on January 15.
Auditions: Placement auditions will occur on December 11, 18, and January 15 in Sanborn Hall. If you're unable to make these dates work, you're still welcome to apply and we'll coordinate an alternate audition time with you.
What to prepare for Placement Auditions: For Winds and Brass, please prepare two short excerpts in contrasting styles. These can be from etude books, solo & ensemble materials, marching show excerpts, or concert band parts. For Percussion, please prepare short excerpts (30-60 seconds) demonstrating your ability on Keyboards, Snare Drum, and/or Timpani. For Keyboards, a 4 mallet excerpt is encouraged, but not required. For all placement auditions, please provide copies of what you will be performing.
Weekly Rehearsals: Rehearsals begin January 15, 2023 and continue on subsequent Sundays from 2-4 PM, concluding with a final concert in Gray Chapel at 3 PM on Sunday, April 23, 2023.
APPLY NOW: Fill out a short form about your school, instrument, contact info, and preferred audition date. Click HERE!!!
If you already completed the application form for the DYWS, please CLICK HERE to confirm a date and time for your seating audition.
Where: Placement Auditions and Rehearsals will take place in Presser Rehearsal Room, located in Sanborn Hall on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University.
Cost: Cost for the group will be $50 per member. All fees will go towards the following: a t-shirt for all members, music costs, guest artists and staff, and other logistics (e.g., program printing, concert live stream).
No student will ever be denied a chance to join the group due to financial reasons. Please contact Dr. Edwards or Dr. Lizak if you need assistance.
