The Little Delaware Youth Ensemble is getting ready to share its winter program with audiences in Delhi and Oneonta this January, showcasing young musicians from across the region in two afternoon concerts.
Music Director Uli Speth says the program reflects both the students’ abilities and their enthusiasm. “Our students will be performing together with our prep group, led this year by Amy Selig,” Speth explained. “They’ll play arrangements of her own music, as well as arrangements she’s made of other composers.”
The main ensemble’s repertoire ranges widely, from Baroque to Romantic and light classical fare. “We’re playing Handel’s Concerto Grosso, Opus 6, No. 5, a Divertimento by Mozart, theme and variations by Alexander Glazunov, and Johann Strauss II’s New Pizzicato Polka,” Speth said. He added with a smile, “It’s not the famous Pizzicato Polka, but I think it’s at least as cute—if not cuter. One of our violinists even switches to the glockenspiel for part of the piece.”
Choosing music for a youth ensemble, Speth says, goes beyond technical considerations. “Of course, their abilities and what might challenge them are always at the forefront,” he said. “But I often think about composers when they were young. When we play Mozart—especially his earlier pieces—it really speaks to our students.” He noted that rehearsals often reveal that connection: “When we take out the Mozart, they all go, ‘Yay.’ There’s a special connection there that can’t really be duplicated.”
That sense of connection extends to nurturing young composers as well. Speth revealed plans to feature a student-written work later this season. “One of our students has been writing very eagerly in the Baroque style,” he said. “He has perfect pitch—if you stop in the middle of a chord, he’ll tell you exactly what it is. It’s all going on in his head, and we’re very excited to play his music in the spring.”
The ensemble draws students from a wide geographic area, with families often traveling significant distances for rehearsals. “Parents sometimes drive half an hour or more,” Speth said. “There’s carpooling, instrument-sharing—it’s really wonderful to see everybody helping out.”
For families interested in joining the Little Delaware Youth Ensemble, Speth encourages attending a concert or reaching out directly. “Auditions aren’t about keeping anyone out,” he emphasized. “They help us figure out where a student fits best and what music will suit them.” He also highlighted the ensemble’s beginner programs, including group instruction designed to help young players get started and eventually transition into private lessons.
The Little Delaware Youth Ensemble will present its winter concerts on Sunday, January 11 at 3 p.m. at United Ministry Church, 1 Church Street in Delhi, and again on Sunday, January 25 at 3 p.m. at the Anderson Theatre on the Hartwick College campus. More information about concerts, auditions, and beginner programs is available online at https://lyde.net