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Young musicians can try out for next year's Coquitlam Youth Orchestra

Does your child play a string, woodwind, brass or percussion instrument? Auditions are May 13 and 14 for the Coquitlam Youth Orchestra.
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Young musicians in the Tri-Cities who are proficient with works from Bach to Brahms are being invited to try out for next year's Coquitlam Youth Orchestra (CYO).

The group is set to hold auditions for string, woodwind, brass and percussion players for its 2023-24 season on May 13 and 14 in Coquitlam.

Candidates will need to prepare a piece and a scale of their choice to try out for the junior, intermediate or senior ensembles.

The junior CYO group (ages 9–12) is led by Lucia Hynsil Roh, who has her PhD in musical arts in violin performance from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a minor in music education and string pedagogy.

Roh also holds a master's degree in music from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, as well as a bachelor's degree in violin performance with distinction from the Eastman School of Music.

The intermediate and senior orchestras — for ages 12–14 and 14–22, respectively — are conducted by Reg Quiring, the founder and artistic director of the Coquitlam Youth Orchestra.

A Coquitlam resident, Quiring has been the principal violist with the Vancouver Symphony, the Vancouver Opera and the Quebec Symphony orchestras.

Quiring has also taught violin and viola at UBC, the Vancouver Academy of Music and the Quiring Chamber Music School, which he co-founded.

Quiring is best known locally for hosting the annual QuiRing in the New Year concerts at the Evergreen Cultural Centre on Dec. 31 with his wife, Rosemary O’Connor, a concert pianist.

Started in 2013, the Coquitlam Youth Orchestra aims to develop and provide educational programs and performance opportunities to young musicians.

Interested musicians looking to audition are encouraged to email [email protected] or visit the CYO's website.