About the Sheboygan Area Youth Symphony

Have you attended a concert by the award winning Sheboygan Area Youth Symphony? We invite you to attend one of the three season concerts and experience for yourself the depth and quality of the young musicians from our area. The Sheboygan Symphony and the Sheboygan Area School District proudly sponsor the Youth Symphony and its many endeavors.

The Sheboygan Area Youth Symphony is a group of 65 talented Middle and High School students representing 9 different communities from around Sheboygan County. This artistic group, led by conductor Walter Rich, prepares three outstanding performances each season. In addition, they are involved in various music festivals throughout the state and nation.

Dr. Walter H. Rich is beginning his first full season as conductor of the Sheboygan Area Youth Symphony.  He is currently teaching band at Holy Trinity School in Kewaskum, Wisconsin.  He holds an undergraduate degree in Music Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Master's Degree in music performance from Northwestern University, where he studied with Mr. Arnold Jacobs, the legendary Principal Tuba player of the Chicago Symphony.

Dr. Rich earned his PhD in Curriculum and Instruction/Music Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  He began his public school teaching career in the Milwaukee Public Schools and taught for a decade in the Elmbrook school district.  Walter has taught music education at the University of Wisconsin and worked with student teachers at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  He served as an adjunct faculty member at Indiana State University, teaching studio Tuba and performing with the faculty brass quintet.

Walter currently holds the principal tuba chair in the Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra and performs with the Smashing Tubas Quartet.  He has performed as the principal Tuba player in the Champaign-Urbana Symphony and the Racine Symphony Orchestra.

Walter is currently the conductor of the Lakeshore Symphonic Band of Cedarburg, and the Oconomowoc American Legion Band.  He has been the conductor of the Edgewood College Wind Ensemble and Assitant Professor of music at Lakeland College.  Walter often conducts clinics with area bands and honors groups as well as adjudicating at solo and ensemble festivals sponsored by the Wisconsin School Music Association.

In February 2004, the Youth Symphony started a new tradition by performing in the new Stefanie Weill Center for the Performing Arts in Sheboygan. The orchestra worked hard to prepare musically for this special concert, and received rave reviews from the audience. Dr. Rich looks forward to another outstanding year with the Youth Symphony as they extend their reach for even greater musical heights.

SHEBOYGAN AREA YOUTH SYMPHONY EARNS SILVER MEDAL AT HERITAGE MUSIC FESTIVAL IN BOSTON

During the spring of 2003 the Sheboygan Area Youth Symphony were involved in the Heritage Music Festival in Boston, Massachusetts. This festival is a national competition where many fine Youth Symphonies from all over the country participated. The festival offers an opportunity for the students to grow both in their own performance as they compete, and in their musical knowledge gained through listening to other fine groups.

At the Heritage Music Festival, the Youth Symphony performed three selections for judges, took part in a mini-clinic, and listened to another orchestra perform. The same evening, youth symphony musicians and chaperones enjoyed an Awards Banquet, sponsored by the Festival, and were presented a 2nd place award in the Youth Orchestra classification.

Debbie Williamson was extremely happy with the performance of the group and stated, "It was a real joy for me to watch the musical growth and commitment of our students throughout the year, and even more rewarding to have them perform their best . . . with incredible energy, focus and precision. Sheboygan would have been proud!" Debbie went on, "Festival officials even complimented the group, following our performance, saying, 'we thoroughly enjoyed listening to your group . . . and what a wonderful bunch of kids too.' "

In addition to performing, the 65 musicians and chaperones enjoyed some sight-seeing and learned about the numerous historical sights of Boston. The group took a guided tour of the city, including parts of the Freedom Trail, explored the USS Constitution battleship, visited the Museum of Science, saw an Omni theater presentation of STOMP, and relaxed on a historical cruise of Boston Harbor. The whole trip was a wonderful experience for all.

For additional information about the Youth Symphony, contact the Sheboygan Symphony Office at 920-452-1985.