Youth orchestras join forces for Las Vegas concert

Friday, Feb. 1, 2002 | 9:28 a.m.

When: 7 p.m. Saturday.

Where: UNLV's Artemus Ham Hall.

Tickets: $4; $3 for students, senior and disabled.

Information: 229-6211.

A little bit of Vegas. A little bit of Tucson.

For the fourth time in 10 years the Las Vegas Philharmonic Youth Orchestra is teaming with the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra to perform selected works from such composers as Mahler and Rimsky-Korsakov.

The nearly 180 high school musicians, from the Las Vegas Valley and from Tucson, Ariz., will perform Saturday at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Artemus Ham Hall.

Members from both orchestras will begin the program with "Fanfare" from Dukas' "La Peri."

The Las Vegas Philharmonic Youth Orchestra will perform the finale of Mahler's "Symphony No. 1," featuring a violin solo by Clark High School student Yang Wang, and "Zieunerweisen (Gypsy Airs)" by Sarasate.

The Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra will perform Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2."

Both orchestras will conclude the performance with Rimsky-Korsakov's "Russian Easter Overture."

Students will play original music that isn't simplified for younger audiences, said Karl Reinarz, conductor of the Las Vegas Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

That includes the "Russian Easter Overture."

"It's a tremendous piece for orchestra with many different instruments being treated soloistically throughout it, in addition to very dramatic full orchestra passages," Reinarz said.

Combining orchestras provides a great opportunity for young musicians to meet and share knowledge with other young musicians, he said.

But finding another orchestra that has musicians with the same level of ability, an open schedule, and then finding a hall to perform in isn't always easy.

When it works out, Reinarz said, "It's a pretty exciting sound for the conductor and the musicians."

The groups came together after Reinarz and Dr. Suzette Battan, conductor of the Tucson Philharmonia Orchestra, realized they knew each other through music circles.

The Las Vegas Youth Orchestra is sponsored by the city of Las Vegas and the Clark County School District. It has four orchestras that include the Ensemble, Sinfonia, Symphony and Philharmonic. Students must audition to join.

"These are the lead players from many different schools," Reinarz said.