Monday, April 13, 2020

OSU on National Video Data Base and Musicians Sharing from Home Spring 2020

Orchestra of Southern Utah Featured in League of American Orchestras’
New Online Source for Orchestra 
Livestreams, Videos, and Educational Resources 
During COVID-19 Pandemic

  Attend an Orchestra Performance Without Leaving Home

Includes Educational Videos for Parents and Teachers


(Cedar City, UT) As concert halls across the country go dark due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Orchestra of Southern Utah and other orchestras have given hope and solace to a quarantined public by making an unprecedented number of online performances and educational resources available free of charge. The Orchestra of Southern Utah is now featured in the League of American Orchestras’ new Symphony Spot (symphonyspot.org), a one-stop hub of orchestra live streams, videos, and digital learning events from more than 100 members and friends of the League.

“We have several years of video from concert performances, with our fabulous scenery, and from smaller groups at recitals available for viewing on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9nsAT3-XJ5YFB-_ENUw2BQ," said Rebekah Hughes, OSU Manager. “We hope you will enjoy sharing music in your home.”

“During this uncertain time, we’ve seen firsthand the value and connection orchestras bring to the public,” commented League President and CEO Jesse Rosen. “Orchestras of all sizes are continuing to serve their communities throughout this crisis, whether through streaming musicians’ live performances from home, by offering archival audio and video performances online, or by providing parents, students, and teachers with valuable educational resources. We’re proud to present this one-stop resource in order to highlight the inspirational music reverberating across the country.”

The League’s new Symphony Spot serves as a hub of member orchestras’ essential content, giving teachers, journalists, bloggers, and the general public a one-stop landing place to explore.

From a performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s Bedtime with Bach video series; and the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s BSO Homeschool initiative featuring lesson plans, instrument demonstrations, and virtual lessons, to cutting-edge new music offered by American Composers Orchestra, you’ll find content from more than 100 orchestras, venues, and soloists. And the site grows daily.

“In addition to the videos available, we also have a blog exploring music through our Listening Club for All Ages: http://osulistening.blogspot.com/ This goes back to May 2015 with favorite melodies and performances. There are 32 episodes available and we will be adding new episodes.  Our blog on the history of OSU is at https://historicalosu.blogspot.com and includes archival programs starting from 1988. This is also an ongoing project,” said Sara Penny, OSU assistant.

Music inspires us, strengthens us, and brings us together. We appreciate the musicians, patrons, staff, and donors who make it possible for us to present music.  Please consider a donation to the Orchestra of Southern Utah in these difficult times: OSU, P.O. Box 312, Cedar City, UT 84721. Donors recognized on our website. If you see any errors please let us know: https://www.myosu.org/donations. Corrections to osucedarcity@gmail.com

“Thanks to everyone involved in the Orchestra of Southern Utah and we are looking forward to resuming music-making,” said Hughes.

The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions America’s orchestras and the vitality of the music they perform. Its diverse membership of more than 1,700 organizations and individuals across North America runs the gamut from world-renowned orchestras to community groups, from summer festivals to student and youth ensembles, from conservatories to libraries, from businesses serving orchestras to individuals who love symphonic music. The only national organization dedicated solely to the orchestral experience, the League is a nexus of knowledge and innovation, advocacy, and leadership advancement. Its conferences and events, award-winning Symphony magazine, website, and other publications inform people around the world about orchestral activity and developments. Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League links a national network of thousands of instrumentalists, conductors, managers and administrators, board members, volunteers, and business partners. Visit americanorchestras.org.

Screenshot of the national website for League of American Orchestras


 During this period of self-isolation, the OSU musicians continue to make music.

Easter 2020 video of Since By Man Came Death Thanks to Alex Byers for coming up with this project and putting together all of the individual videos. Thanks to those who shared their time and talents.



Southern Utah String Quartet:
Happy music for your enjoyment

Photo from a previous wedding.


Mountaintop Sound with Steve Swift and April McPherson:
Sunday concerts: Facebook link is Mountaintop Sound
Steve is the recording engineer who does the video and audio recordings of OSU concerts with Larry Life.



Share your music with us so we can add to our social media. Send links to osucedarcity@gmail.com

Stay in Touch with Your Orchestra:
Website:  http://myosu.org/
Make Donations: https://www.mightycause.com/organization/The-Orchestra-Of-Southern-Utah
Mail to: OSU, P.O. Box 312, Cedar City, UT 84721

 Thanks for your participation and support of the Orchestra of Southern Utah.
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Thursday, April 2, 2020

Congratulations to OSU Musician RaKell Heaton



RaKell Heaton at Carnegie Hall with a photo of Isaac Stern
OSU Musician Plays at Carnegie Hall

Carnegie Hall is like the Olympics for musicians. RaKell Heaton of Cedar City played in the famous New York concert hall on Feb. 2 with a High School Honor String Orchestra.  The Cedar High senior had to audition as part of the rigorous selection process. She was chosen from international applicants to perform with master conductors.

RaKell said, “New York was an amazing experience!! There were so many things that made it so amazing. First, performing at Carnegie Hall! From the moment we stepped onto the stage, I was in awe. The acoustics are outstanding and the hall is so beautiful! I'm so thankful I was able to have the experience of performing on the same stage that so many talented musicians have performed on. 
Second, the people. Students from 42 different U.S. states, Guam, Samoa, and other countries participated in the orchestra, band, and choir. It was so cool that other people my age from all over the world have the same passion for music that I do! Even with so many different backgrounds, we were all able to connect through music and that's part of why I love music so much.”

She added, “Auditioning and applying were hard and frustrating at points, but it was so worth it! I learned to never give up and even in the case of not getting accepted, there is so much to learn from auditioning.”  

RaKell participated in the Utah All-State Orchestra for three years, also after a highly selective audition process. This year’s guest conductor was Dr. Joel Neves, who previously taught orchestra at Cedar High and has guest conducted for the Orchestra of Southern Utah (OSU). In addition to these experiences, RaKell has performed with the Lyceum Orchestra in their advanced program at Springdale and with OSU.  She has also been selected as the Cedar High Sterling Scholar in Music.

Her family is musical and many will fondly remember her grandmother Judy Larsen who played piano for many string students and played viola in OSU. Her mother LaRae plays flute and all of her immediate family plays the piano. 

RaKell started violin with her aunt Sheri Larsen Scott and has studied privately with Amanda Clarke, Sara Penny, and Paul Abegg. She has participated in the Southern Utah String Festivals, Suzuki Strings, and public school orchestras. “We are fortunate to have strong string programs in Cedar City so the students can be prepared to take advantage of international opportunities,” said Sara Penny.

Check the Honors Performance Series by WorldStrides for more information. 

Update on April 2: Carnegie Hall is now closed until October because of the coronavirus crisis.

Carnegie Hall Experiences




The concert was in early February.



 All-State Orchestra Performances
OSU Guest Conductor Joel Neves returned to Utah to direct 2020 All-State Orchestra.

With cousin Kaitlin Ashworth and grandfather Ervin Larsen at Abravanel Hall.


2019 All-State Orchestra



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