Sequim Community Orchestra

Thanks to our incoming artistic director Anne Gantz Burns, along with educators Jesse Ahmann and Christine Faught for auditioning students. Is your student ready for youth orchestra? Or maybe they're *already* ready for the SCO?

Find out July 27.

Is your student ready for youth orchestra? Find out at auditions: July 27th 4-6pm at St. Andrew's!

These auditions will cover entry to both Port Angeles and Sequim Youth Orchestra ensembles: http://pcyo.kids/classes/youth-orchestra

Read about the details of the audition and sign up at: https://forms.gle/gb21dzeWSKCmbxxj8

Registration for Olympic Strings Summer Sight Reading Workshop is open!

Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFF_UKZpnq_MxAexVHGQ836Ek06OfTspFOfhBXgCOPhKFwqA/viewform

Thanks to whoever submitted us as a Rave to the Peninsula Daily News!

Curious about what we're all about? Come see PCYO students perform at First United Methodist Church in Port Angeles on Monday, May 18th at 4pm.

A hearty thank you to Phil for his many years of directing the orchestra, and for his wonderful performance last night!

Thank you to everyone who came out on such a busy weekend!

For those who missed the concert, my concert notes are below.

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As I was trying to write this, I've been wondering: How do you say goodbye to a conductor? To someone who has been a friend for so long.

The Morgan-Ellis's have been the musical center of my life since I was 7 years old. In an article from the early 2000s, Debbie said "we nearly raised some of these kids". It's true. Now Debbie is teaching MY kids!

The only way I can think to say goodbye to a friend who has led us through all that, to smile as Phil passes over his literal baton in this marathon of musical educational philanthropy, is to put in the work to ensure we carry on that legacy.

It's a big one. Nearly five decades of support of amateur and student music on the Peninsula. 26 years of the North Olympic Youth Symphonies. 14 years with the Sequim Community Orchestra. Thousands of students. These days, those students are out teaching their own students both here and across the country.

It's kind of overwhelming. When I think about all they've accomplished, I can't help but observe a singular trait that threads through those decades: fearless optimism.

When I collected together the memorabilia to work on the scrapbook you'll find at the reception though, it was very evident: the entire community has come together for music over and over again.

This community -- the North Olympic Peninsula -- believes in the power of music. Two of our youth orchestra teachers travel here regularly from out of county because they've seen the strength of our programs, from the private lesson teachers, public school teachers, after school programs, summer programs, scholarship programs, the supremely talented professional quality symphony in Port Angeles, and of course, this amateur teaching orchestra here in Sequim.

All of us in these groups come together to collectively provide a musical home for string musicians, for winds who enjoy being the star of the show on stage, and to bring orchestral music to all who might enjoy it.

This community believes in the fearless optimism of music.

So thank you, Phil. We will do our best to be brave and make you proud. Come play with us any time -- we always need violas.

Anne -- you've got big shoes to fill, but a whole community of fearlessly optimistic music lovers cheering you on.

Come see Phil Morgan-Ellis's last concert as artistic director of the Sequim Community Orchestra. Tonight at 7pm!

Save the date! Our next concert is May 9th at the close of the Sequim Irrigation Festival!

We'll be playing Frescobaldi's Toccata, Symphony No. 40 in G Minor by Mozart, and Telemann's Viola Concerto, performed by our own Phil Morgan-Ellis.

Please join us afterwards for a reception honoring outgoing Artistic Director, Phil Morgan-Ellis, who has been our rock since the beginning. He will be greatly missed!

“Thanks to Phil, many of us, students and teachers alike, know we belong on this stage or any stage, because of his example of inclusivity, acceptance, generosity, and an authentic love for music — without boundaries.” -- Nathan Rødahl

Come see the orchestra perform and thank our outgoing artistic director, Phil Morgan-Ellis, for his service this Saturday at 7pm at Trinity United Methodist Church in Sequim.

Sequim Community Orchestra to present Spring Concert Saturday, May 9 - Sequim Gazette Reception to follow for departing Artistic Director Phil Morgan-Ellis

Sunday! Come see our kids' program at the Sequim Irrigation Festival!

Come see us on Sunday at the Irrigation Festival! Is your child ready to pick out their favorite string instrument?

Families: please share!

Save the date! Our next concert is May 9th at the close of the Sequim Irrigation Festival!

We'll be playing Frescobaldi's Toccata, Symphony No. 40 in G Minor by Mozart, and Telemann's Viola Concerto, performed by our own Phil Morgan-Ellis.

Please join us afterwards for a reception honoring outgoing Artistic Director, Phil Morgan-Ellis, who has been our rock since the beginning. He will be greatly missed!