ALASKA YOUTH ORCHESTRAS

Building a community where music education and performance are valued and shared

AYO COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
THE NAVE

AYO is proud to partner with The Nave as our rehearsal home for the 2021-22 season.
The Nave is a newly developed community arts venue owned and operated by Cook Inlet Housing Authority.

CONCERTO COMPETITIONS

AYO will host 2 concerto competitions for the 2021-22 season.
AYO Piano Concerto Competition
(open to all Alaskan youth ages 9-21)
AYS Instrumental Concerto Competition
(open only to AYS 21-22 musicians in grade 11 or 12)
Visit the CONCERTO COMPETITIONS page for more information and to apply. 

FALL AUDITIONS ARE NOW OPEN!

Visit our AUDITIONS PAGE for more information and for instructions on how to apply for our 2021-22 season.

SPRING CONCERT VIDEO

Make the memory of the AYO 20-21 Spring Concert last forever by purchasing the commemorative video! Produced by JMM Video Productions, the concert video will include every part of our season finale event including the Alaskan and Denali Sinfonietta performances, a SURPRISE Coach’s Sinfonietta performance, and a tribute to Linn Weeda’s 31 years of incredible service to AYO.

Videos will be provided by way of a digital file which you will access by simply clicking a link that we provide.

The AYO 2020-21 Spring Concert and the Commemorative Concert Video were made possible in part by PINKERTON RETIREMENT SPECIALISTS

Maestro Bruce Wood Named AYO Music Director

Following an intensive search process which included 26 applicants from the U.S. and two foreign countries, 11 of whom hold doctoral degrees; Alaska Youth Orchestras (AYO) Board of Directors have approved the Search Committee’s recommendation to hire Maestro Bruce Wood, as AYO’s Music Director, effective July 1, 2021.

Wood holds a Ph.D. in music education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was the founding Music Director of the Youth Orchestras of Lubbock, serving the organization for 12 years. He studied both cello and voice in his baccalaureate program. Wood studied conducting with Catherine Comet, Robert Fountain and David Becker of the University of Wisconsin, studied cello with Peter Howard of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and studied voice with Hugh Givens and Karl Dent. His principal mentor in the field of music education was Gerald Olson at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Throughout his career, Wood has conducted numerous professional and semi-professional ensembles. Since moving to Alaska in 2014, Wood has conducted the Community Messiah performances and led conducting workshops, while serving as the Anchorage School District Director of Fine Arts, a position that he will retire from on June 30, 2021. In addition to his musical experience, Wood has taught numerous workshops, has written a wide variety of published research and scholarly articles, and has been a featured presenter at several nationwide conferences on music education and performance.

“I am thrilled to be joining the AYO family,” Wood said. “Youth orchestras have had a great influence on me, starting as a 11-year-old cellist, maturing through middle and high school ensembles, and then as an adult; sometimes playing, more often conducting. Becoming AYO’s Music Director is the continuation of a passion that I’ve had nearly my entire life. The opportunity to grow and expand AYO with the support of the Board and alongside Executive Director Denise Brown-Chythlook is very exciting to me.”

The search process was guided by current AYO Board President Jennifer Bundy-Cobb and incoming AYO Board President Josie Wilson. The remainder of the committee included AYO coaches, professional musicians, and AYO staff. The search was slightly altered due to COVID limitations, but still provided a robust vetting and interview process, as well as extensive evaluation of candidates conducting and educational skills.

“The search committee had a wealth of applicants to choose from,” said Bundy-Cobb. “We considered a wide variety of factors throughout the process. The committee was clear that we needed an expert conductor who was also an experienced educator. Bruce embodies both and so much more.”

Wilson added, “We are confident we made the right decision for AYO’s needs now and in the near future.”

AYO has served the youth of Southcentral Alaska for more than 65 years with a storied list of Music Directors. Linn Weeda, AYO’s retiring Music Director has led the artistic direction of AYO for the past 31 years.

“Linn Weeda is a hard act to follow,” said AYO Executive Director Denise Brown-Chythlook, “but I have full confidence that Bruce is up to the task. It was so important that AYO find a music director who can build on our foundation to help us grow and expand. Throughout the next few years we plan to increase the accessibility of music education and performance for Southcentral Alaskan youth, no matter their socio-economic status. With Bruce on our team, that kind of growth is possible, and it can be done on a solid educational foundation.”

Wood was formally announced to the musicians of Alaska Youth Orchestras on April 26, during a regular rehearsal. He will conduct his debut concert in the fall of 2021 which will feature the Anchorage Youth Symphony’s 2021-2022 season musicians. Auditions are currently open to youth between the ages of 13 and 21 for seats in the 2021-2022 season.

LINN WEEDA SCHOLARSHIP FUND

In honor of Linn Weeda’s 31 years as AYO Music Director, we are proud to present the Linn Weeda Scholarship Fund,which will exclusively support AYO tuition scholarships for musicians who are experiencing financial hardship; as well as to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Every AYS musician’s tuition is subsidized in the amount $1325 by contributions from our generous funding partners, leaving just $675 per musician in payable tuition. The Linn Weeda Scholarship Fund covers that $675 (or a portion of it) for those musicians needing extra assistance.

THANK YOU to Pinkerton Retirement Specialists for making a founding donation of $1000 to launch the Linn Weeda Scholarship Fund!

Alaska Youth Orchestras

Investing in Alaska’s next generation of leaders by teaching high-achieving teen musicians
the values of responsibility, commitment, self-confidence, discipline, and teamwork
through music education and performance for more than 50 years!

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