Orchestra - DAAYO

8/22/2024 - Activity

The Dallas Asian American Youth Orchestra hosts several orchestral programs for youth around North Dallas to participate in. The highest orchestra, of which I am a part of, the Symphony Orchestra, is a full orchestra ensemble, with a near-full brass section, and the quintet of strings. I used to play in 10th grade, but stopped in favor of my busy Junior year classes. This year, I've returned, since I truly enjoy making music with the group. Every week, we practice and investigate our music both at home and meet once a week on Sunday evenings to practice together. Sessions are two and a half hours long, which would be quite the long period of time if not for the break in the middle. However, it warrants the length of our pieces, which usually make up for a 45 minute concert. 

The music we play, due to being full orchestra music, is often both fun and intensive. Sometimes, it's even harder than my Chamber I music from school, and especially during my sophomore year when I was in the Sinfonia I orchestra and lacked the difficulty in music to practice, I used the DAAYO music to supplement. It provides a great learning experience both with difficult music, as well as with learning independence with the orchestra. I'm always practicing my listening and leading skills when I'm in DAAYO instead of only looking at the conductor, which has allowed me to become much more flexible.

LO2: I am always challenging myself at DAAYO to perform better. It's easy to get drowned between all the instruments-- stringed, winds, and brass-- and play quiet, to let everyone else do the work, but I always try my hardest to play alongside them. Since I'm a section leader this year, I've also been working hard on fixing my timings, pickups, and my ability to lead and make a voice for my section. While it is sort of difficult due to the quieter nature of my violin, I've been practicing to create a louder sound.