YOUNG ARTIST CHAMBER PLAYERS

Jack Ashton, Conductor
PRESENT POSITIONS: Violinist in the Utah Symphony 49 years now retired- Former Assistant Principal 2nd Violin 25 Years.
Founder and director of Young Artist Chamber Players organization which comprises of 4 string orchestras, performs concerts at venues here in Salt Lake as well as throughtout the State of Utah and Southern Idaho. The young string players of various levels rehearse and perform with their musical peers.
Music Chairman of the Olympus High Music Department for 10 years.
Adjunct Instructor of Violin and Viola at Snow College.
Performances have taken place at Libby Gardner Concert Hall, Rose Wagner Concert Auditorium, Abravanel Hall, The Assembly Hall on Temple Square, Springville Art Museum, BYU Art Museum, Thorley Hall, Eccles Concert Hall in Cedar City, Westminster College, St. George Tabernacle, and venues in Vernal, Logan, Moab, Monticello, Sandy, Ely, Nevada and Ephraim at Snow College.
In School concerts have been performed in Rose Park, Bloomington and Cedar City.
OTHER
Graduate of the University of Utah
Private teacher of violin
Married to Marie Yeates and a father of 8
Former adjunct faculty member at Westminster College and Utah State University

Upcoming Events (All concerts are free)

Purpose

Those of us associated with YACP want to promote the young people who participate and help them have an outstanding musical experience. The following policies are intended to help us meet that goal.

Qualifying for YACP

Membership in YACP is by invitation only, based on auditions. You are receiving this policy statement because you have been accepted into the orchestra. In order to maintain our musical standards, we require that all students who participate in the orchestra also take private music lessons and plan to practice the YACP music on their own. This orchestra is intended for those who are serious about developing their musical talents. Students must be at least 9th graders by the upcoming fall school year.

Audition Information

Auditions are conducted by assigned times. To register for auditions, follow this link. A specific audition time is emailed 2 weeks before the audition day. Placement letters and rehearsal schedules will be sent prior to our first rehearsal. Rehearsals are held each Monday afternoon from September through November, and from January through April.

These auditions are for new members of the orchestras, and for those who wish to move up to a new orchestra. Musicians wishing to remain in the same orchestra they were in last year need not audition, but should attend the first rehearsal.

Those students auditioning should be prepared to sight read, play a three-octave scale (in legato 16th notes, 4 to a bow, at the speed of 72 - 90 = 1/4 note), and to play 2 minutes of a concerto showing his or her level of technical skill. The auditioners will specifically be looking for the ability to shift easily and correctly through 5 positions, producing vibrato easily and widely, a beautiful, full sound, astute counting and sight reading, and strong bowing skill in martale, detache, and spicatto style. We will also have a quartet at auditions. Each student will "play in" with the quartet, and be graded on blending and sight-reading in an ensemble. Download a copy of the audition requirements here (Word document).

Auditions will be held at Highland High School, 2166 S 1700 E, Salt Lake City, Utah 84106.

Tuition

The orchestra meets during most of the nine months of the school year. We divide the year into two semesters. The first one begins in the middle of September and ends before Christmas. The second semester begins in January and ends around the first of May.

Tuition for the year is $200.00. This includes a nonrefundable music deposit. Music is returned at the end of the spring semester. Tuition for the year is due no later than October 11--full payment for the entire year must be paid in the fall. Any tuition that has not been paid by this date is assessed a $10.00 late fee. Students who have siblings in YACP or in any of the younger YACP orchestras can obtain a small discount on their tuition. For families with 2 students in the orchestras, a $10 discount is given off one student's tuition. For three or more, tuition is discounted $10 each.

The orchestra tries to keep expenses to a minimum and many people volunteer a great deal of their time. However, we do have rent to pay, music to buy, and other operating expenses. Students who fail to pay tuition in a timely manner will not be allowed to continue with the orchestra.

Attendance

The orchestra rehearses every Monday (except national and some school holidays) from 4:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Students are expected to be punctual and regular in their attendance.

We know that these musicians are very talented young people and often have a wide variety of interests. We respect the rights of students to choose how they will spend their time. However, to make this a quality orchestra, members must attend rehearsals and be on time. Students that have obligations that conflict with YACP should withdraw from the orchestra and reapply when their schedule allows them to participate fully. Whenever a musician misses more than three rehearsals or is tardy more than three times during a semester, his or her membership with YACP will be reviewed.

We suggest that students inform their music teachers at school that they are participating in YACP and that the rehearsals are on Monday nights. We have found from past experience that most teachers are supportive of this commitment and try to schedule around it when they know about it.

Uniforms

We want those in YACP to look as good as they sound. Therefore, we require that every member of the orchestra have appropriate concert attire. All orchestra members should have their uniforms by October 31st.

For young men, concert dress consists of a black tuxedo. Parents with sons in the orchestra may want to check with the tuxedo rental stores around town. Many of them have periodic sales, especially in late summer, where used tuxedos can be purchased for a very reasonable price.

The young women have dresses or ensembles that are purchased or must be sewn using a specified pattern. We change the pattern and dresses every two to three years. If a girl joins the orchestra during the year when a new dress is selected and plays for three years, she may only have to pay for one dress during her participation. However, she may have to purchase a new dress two years in a row if the year to change dresses falls during the girl's second year in the orchestra. Past experience has taught us that those who have had the same dress for two to three years need new dresses and want a change in their attire.

In addition to having their uniforms, we request that all YACP members refrain from chewing gum during rehearsals and especially performances.