August 19, 2024
Larger Performance Space for 2024-25 Season Opens 30 New Spots; Auditions Now Open Newport News, VA — August 6, 2024 — Soundscapes, a nonprofit organization that provides immersive, engaging, music-making, and ensemble performance opportunities for young people, has named conductor, composer, and violinist Paul Sanho Kim as the concert director for the Peninsula Youth Orchestra (PYO) — an… Read more »
May 20, 2024
What a way to end the season for the Peninsula Youth Orchestra! On Sunday, May 19th, PYO held an amazing concert featuring songs from around the globe and student compositions. Felix Burnsed was presented with the Citizen Artist Award and Tyler Pickett was recognized for his 10 years of participation with Soundscapes. Several other students… Read more »
February 28, 2024
November 28, 2023
La Vida is a PYO student composition reflecting the realities, challenges, and joys of growing up and beginning to face new responsibilities.
The Process: In January of 2023, the Peninsula Youth Orchestra Symphony Orchestra worked with Soundscapes Creative Content Manager Joe Hamm to collectively compose a piece of music. Students learned to and were guided to build a subject theme, determine an instrumentation, write words, and compose instrumental melodies. These elements were assembled over the course of five weeks for a total of about 6 total hours of instructional time including rehearsal.
Teaching Artist Team:
Joe Hamm
Westley Benson
Suzanne Warner
Rey Ramirez
A collective composition project of the Peninsula Youth Orchestra.
March 24, 2023
Find Concert Programs from previous performances by the Peninsula Youth Orchestra:
June 27, 2022
A Soundscapes collective composition in collaboration with Play USA and Carnegie Hall’s Reflection on Resilience prompt. Soundscapes musicians reflected on the necessity for resilience, and the mechanisms in response to that resiliency. “Reunite in Our Community” is their musical and poetic expression of this prompt. “Reunite in Our Community” was shared at the PlayUSA National Convening at Carnegie Hall on June 27th, 2022.
Creative Leaders:
Joe Hamm
Rebecca Kim
Westley Benson
Catina Billups
Student Musicians: Kawtar Ajlani-Violin, Lee Benton-Viola, Tracie Epps-Cello, Raelyn Flanagan-Flute, Julie Hayes-Violin, Noah Hill-Flute, Valentina Huayhualla-Cello, Saniya Hundley-Sweeney-Trumpet, Yarelie Lopez-Gomez-Violin, Chloe Park-Violin, Claire Park-Cello, Krystal Stokes-Violin, Aniya Walker-Violin, Deandre Ward-Trumpet, Parker Wilson-Flute, Jemon Windham-Trombone.
May 26, 2022
In this video recorded from the audience during the finale of Peninsula Youth Orchestra’s 62nd Season, we see the presentation of Soundscapes’ first-ever Citizen Artist Award to Lance Fox for exemplifying the values of Soundscapes.
April 19, 2022
Soundscapes Co-founder and Executive Director Anne Henry will be moving into the new position of director of government initiatives beginning May 1. After leading the organization from a small start-up with just 40 students to a thriving nonprofit that has reached more than 1,400 students since 2009, she is ready for a new challenge. As… Read more »
February 6, 2022
December 12, 2021
PYO prepares for the final performance of the evening. Thank you to everyone who attended. We are so proud of our students!
