Registration is open until all spots are filled!
Contact YC² Manager Alyssa Hensley for more information: alyssa@youthchamberconnection.org
Youth Chamber Connection (YC²) offers chamber music education, enrichment, and community-service performance opportunities for members of Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras (TRYPO), the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra (PYSO), and other interested young musicians. YC² is administrated by TRYPO staff. All musicians (approx. ages 8-19) are welcome to apply, regardless of your music program affiliation.
Scroll down for information about the YC² school-year program!
We are offering in-person chamber music education for the 2023-24 season!
For more on “Why Chamber Music?” click here.
PLACEMENT
We make every effort to place all interested musicians in a suitable chamber group (most often quartets and quintets), provided there are other interested students of a similar age, playing level, schedule availability, and appropriate instrumentation. Most years, we are able to place 97-100% of students who register during our prime enrollment period, before September 10, 2023. Space is available until all chamber groups are complete, as well as more opportunities to join during our Spring Semester. For best chance of placement in our school-year season, please register by September 10, 2023.
REHEARSALS
Groups meet 45 minutes with their coach 20 times throughout the season, plus most groups also rehearse up to another 45 minutes on their own every week, strengthening their skills in leadership, listening, cooperation, and learning to make their own musical decisions.
YC² coachings/rehearsals are scheduled at a convenient time for all members of the group and coaches. Students with a variety of availability in their weekly schedule have the best chance of being well-matched into a chamber group.
PERFORMANCES
We are excited to have our students out performing in their communities again! Everything from pop-up concerts, recitals, Light Up Night performances, and many others give our students the experience and education needed to learn and hone their skills.
SCHEDULE (Full School-Year Season)
Early-Bird Registration Window Opens: April - September 10, 2023. Registrations received by the September 10, 2023 have the best chance of being matched in a chamber ensemble. Later registrations are still welcome, and we will work hard to try to find a match for you.
Group Confirmation: Mid - September 2023. Most students will be confirmed in a chamber group via email during this period.
No Cancellation after Confirmation. Matching more than 80 students each year into a suitable ensemble is a very complicated puzzle. If your application is active when we begin forming groups in August/September, we expect each student we place to honor their commitment to join the group they are placed in. Cancellations made after groups are formed can have a domino effect and negatively impact multiple students and multiple groups.
Rehearsals Begin October 7, 2023. Most groups will receive their first rehearsal date, time, and location the last week of September and will begin meeting the first week of October. Some exceptions may apply if we are still recruiting to complete a group.
YC² Rehearsal Season: October through April (holiday weeks excluded)
ATTENDANCE
In chamber music, the individual player has a more dynamic role than in large ensembles as each student has their own unique part, which requires faithful attendance by all members. The groups who have the most fun, make a great team, and have the most success are those that have consistent attendance and communicate with each other, their coach, and YC² staff about possible conflicts ahead of time.
Understandably, individuals will have a conflict from time to time; however, YC² groups will still meet at their regularly scheduled time, provided at least two group members are able to attend.
Before planning events which will cause your student to miss rehearsal, please consult the YC² calendar in case optional activities can be scheduled on weeks we are on hiatus.
FACULTY
Our coaching team includes faculty from Duquesne University, Carnegie Mellon University; members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, and Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh; and our virtual coaching team includes members of the New World Symphony.
Each group is assigned their own coach to work with all year. If a coach is unavailable, YC² will arrange for another coach to work with the group that week.
TUITION
2023-24 Full Season tuition rate:
Early-Bird Registration: April - September 10, 2023 - $500 for full season
Regular Registration: September 11, 2023 and later - $550 for full season
Household discount: (-$100) off tuition applied for households with a child who is also registered in PYSO or in TRYPO's YPO, WS, PE, SYM, or 2T for 2023-24
Students pay annual tuition for participation in YC². Tuition covers only a portion of our expenses, and TRYPO and PYSO engage in annual fund-raising to cover the balance.
HOUSEHOLD/ENSEMBLE DISCOUNT: Households that have a child registered in PYSO or in a TRYPO large ensemble for 2023-24, may be eligible for a $100 household discount ($50 per semester).
Tuition balance will be added to your TRYPO invoice after student's placement in a chamber group is confirmed in September. Families can opt to pay their tuition balance in full or via multiple automatic credit card payments.
TUITION ASSISTANCE
We offer a financial aid and scholarship program to assist deserving, eligible students. Financial aid and scholarship assistance are always available and it is easier than ever to ask for what you need. Families should not be discouraged from applying to YC² due to financial limitations. YC² is administrated by TRYPO, in partnership with PYSO. Both are 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations committed to keeping costs as low as possible without diminishing the quality or depth of programming, and ensuring that no deserving young musician be denied participation based on financial means.
Visit our Tuition Assistance page for more information about scholarships.
PLACEMENT VIDEO REQUIRED
YC² welcomes young musicians at all playing levels who have adequate skills for ensemble work. Students are asked to complete the registration form and submit a placement video.
ALL musicians* (even members of our partner orchestras, and members in pre-formed groups), need to send a 1-3 minute video showing you playing:
one (1) scale of your/teacher's choice (at least one octave)
one (1) solo which best demonstrates your playing level.
(*If you are new to TRYPO's YPO, Wind Symphony, or Symphonette and just submitted an audition video to TRYPO in Spring/Summer 2023, we have your video on file and are happy to use that video!)
A casual, home-video recorded with your phone is all we need, no accompaniment necessary. Ensure lighting is adequate and the students' arms and instrument are in view (i.e. no music stand blocking). Videos enable our staff to put groups together and for coaches to choose repertoire. Please send the video as soon as possible after completing your registration.
Instructions on how to submit your placement video will be emailed after we have received your registration.
Remember: This is NOT an acceptance video - all eligible-age musicians are accepted - it is for our coaches to assess if we have a spot with other students of a similar age, similar playing level, and the same schedule availability; and for your assigned coach to carefully choose repertoire.
PRE-FORMED ENSEMBLES
Pre-Formed ensembles who wish to join YC² as a group are welcome – groups may self-form; may be returning from a previous year, through a school, orchestra, or elsewhere. Groups formed within a high-school music program are encouraged to remain together as a YC² group. Each member of the group should register individually and note your involvement in a pre-formed group in the comments section on the registration form.
For the 2023-24 year, all members of a self-formed group must be individually registered by September 10, 2023. After that date, YC² will complete any partially-formed ensembles with a qualified, registered student on our waiting list.
Additionally, please have one member email Alyssa Hensley at staff@youthchamberconnection.org to discuss your schedule.
Email: staff@youthchamberconnection.org
Office Phone: 412-391-0185
