August 29, 2025
Our students spent camp rehearsing, learning, and growing through music—with the guidance of our amazing teaching artists. Summer camp helps fill the gap over the summer and prepares students to start the new school year ready to dive into our full program. Hear directly from our students and teaching artists about what made this summer unforgettable!
May 22, 2025
This new Anthem was written by Soundscapes students and created in partnership with Kid Pan Alley. It was performed as the finale during our May 4th, 2025, concert as part of the Virginia Community Music Festival.
December 23, 2024
Executive Director Carol Minter and Program Director Reynaldo Ramirez share exciting highlights from 2024 in this insightful video. From program successes to new initiatives, they reflect on the achievements of the past year and look ahead to the future, offering a glimpse into the organization’s growth and continued commitment to making a lasting impact.
October 16, 2024
Debuted at the 2024 Soundscapes Gala, this video features parents of Soundscapes’ alumni and current students sharing their experiences with the program.
December 20, 2023
Rey Ramirez and Carol Minter share highlights from the 2023 calendar year.
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.
September 13, 2023
At Soundscapes we invest in our communities by providing immersive, engaging, music-making, and ensemble performance opportunities for young people to strengthen social, emotional, creative, and critical thinking skills. We make music learning accessible and fun for students from early elementary school through early adulthood. Soundscapes offers free daily after-school music programs, an affordable regional youth orchestra, and several week-long summer camps. Learn more at www.Soundscapes.org
Voices:
Noah Hill – Floutist, 6th Grade
CJ Baker – Trumpeter, 2nd Grade
Jemon Windham – Percussionist and Trombonist, 8th Grade
Jordan Hill – Cellist, PYO 12th Grade
Westley Benson – Wind Band Director
Alana Lunsford – Violinist, 5th Grade
Elijah Johnson – Percussionist, PYO 11th Grade
Krystal Stokes – Violinist, 8th Grade
Catina Billups – Connection Specialist
Joe Hamm – Creative Content Manager
Karma Karter – Cellist, PYO 12th Grade
Sara Balgoyen – Development Director
Carol Minter – Executive Director
Rey Ramirez – Program Director
May 31, 2023
Blues legend Bobby BlackHat joins the Peninsula Youth Orchestra on stage to perform his original song “I Hear Mama’s Voice” at the American Theater in Hampton, Virginia.
Written by Bobby BlackHat Arranged by Hamed Barbarji Edited by Rebecca Brown Orchestra Conducted by Rey Ramirez
April 4, 2023
Congressman Bobby Scott joins Carol at the traveling teal table for a conversation at The American Theatre in Hampton, just before a Peninsula Youth Orchestra concert. Hear the big announcement Congressman Scott made during the concert and find out what it means for the future of Soundscapes! Join us for an in-depth and behind-the-scenes look at Soundscapes and the community it serves. Soundscapes is a nonprofit organization in Newport News, Virginia that uses music education and performance to strengthen social, emotional, creative, and critical thinking skills in young people from early elementary school through age 25. Programming is provided for free or on a sliding scale, making the benefits of music accessible to all. Learn more at soundscapes.org.
January 23, 2023
Meet Catina Billups, the Connection Specialist with Soundscapes, and learn about what she does at the Carver Elementary daily program.
October 31, 2022
The great Meastro Thomas Wilkins (Principal Guest Conductor of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Principal Conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, and Artistic Advisor for Education and Community Engagement for the Boston Symphony Orchestra) visited Soundscapes today. He started out by listening to our Performance Quintet, joined in our Bucket Band, visited our Level 2 classes, and conducted our full orchestra.
October 17, 2022
During their residency, members from Ensemble 7/4 dropped in to comment about El Sistema, and the value of music making in Newport News at Soundscapes, and around the world.
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.
December 21, 2021
WHRO highlighted Soundscapes in a December episode of Curate, a series that explores the thriving art scene in our own backyard and across America. Click the video above to watch the whole episode! The segment featuring Soundscapes begins at the 10:36 mark, and Peninsula Youth Orchestra is featured during the closing credits.
We think you’ll agree, the students and teaching artists who were interviewed did an amazing job representing the organization!
