A bit of new, old and really old symphonic music is on the program for the Northern Neck Orchestra’s season.
The 10-year-old orchestra is led by Michael Repper, a 2023 Grammy Award winner. He earned the award for Best Orchestral Performance with the New York Youth Symphony, making him the youngest North American conductor to achieve the honor. It also marked the first time a youth orchestra ever won the category. Their recording reached No. 1 on the Billboard Charts.
In addition to his duties with the Northern Neck Orchestra, he served as Music Director of the Ashland Symphony Orchestra and Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra. Before coming to Virginia, he was Music Director of the New York Youth Symphony and Principal Conductor of Sinfonía por el Perú.
For the Northern Neck Orchestra, Repper noted that alongside classic, well-known works, he also selected lesser-known older pieces that may be unfamiliar to the average symphony fan.
“There are many pieces of music that were written in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but were not given their due,” he said. “And we perform modern pieces. We want to make sure we give credence to composers that are still living.”
The season begins Nov. 10 with a chamber concert and follows Dec. 14 with the orchestra’s holiday performance, a favorite of Repper’s.
It covers holiday music and Big Band sounds, which he said he likes conducting.
Repper enjoys working with young musicians, which is one reason he was drawn to the Northern Neck Orchestra. While the musicians in the group are professionals, auditions are open to amateurs.
“Youth are always a delight to work with, they keep the music fresh,” he said.
He praised the symphony’s rapid growth from a community orchestra, in which musicians donate their time and talent to being a professional one in less than a decade.
“The rapid growth and transformation from a group of amateurs to a professional ensemble of 30 musicians is remarkable. There is such energy with wanting to provide world-class performances,” he said.
Violist Christina Johnson, who also teaches music at Ware Academy in Gloucester, noted that many orchestra members, like herself, juggle other jobs and perform with various groups. Still, they are deeply committed to their performances in the Northern Neck.
“We hold ourselves to the same standards as other professional musicians, we just happen to be in a small county,” she said.
The energy Repper spoke of is the force behind a new concert hall being built in Lancaster County. It will be connected to the new high school.
In addition to full orchestra concerts, the Northern Neck Orchestra hosts a Chamber Music Series curated by the group’s principal violinist Moises Bonella Cunha.
As a soloist and chamber musician, he’s played throughout Brazil, Italy, Russia and the United States.
He’s also is artistic director of Chamberfest, a separate organization that provides a week of professional instruction and performances by students.
The Northern Neck Orchestra's first performance of the season is Nov. 10, 2024. For concert information and tickets visit the Northern Neck Orchestra online.
