TulsaPeople / February 2012 / Strings attached

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Strings attached

The nonprofit Owasso Youth Orchestra offers students of various ages an opportunity to improve as musicians and share their talents with the community.

When her peers learned to tie their shoes, write their names and color between the lines, Piper Tingleaf learned those lessons, too. Just like any kindergartener.

But between playtime, naptime and story time, she also learned about the fingerboard of a violin from Melody Garrett and the 88 keys on a piano from Brandy Gordon, the founders and directors of the new Owasso Youth Orchestra.

So, when the two music teachers decided to launch a youth orchestra, Piper’s mother, Amy Tingleaf, was one of the first Owasso parents to get on board. She enrolled her daughter, who had four years of violin lessons under her belt, although orchestra is not offered through Owasso Public Schools at any grade level.

“I had been talking to Melody about doing group lessons, and I had never dreamed of a youth orchestra opportunity for Piper at the age of 9,” Tingleaf says.

She can thank Gordon’s oldest daughter, Ella, an enthusiastic violin player.

“Ella takes violin lessons from me,” Garrett says. “One day, she and Brandy walked in and said, ‘We want to start an orchestra.’ Just like that. Ella had a desire deep down to be in an orchestra, conduct orchestra, go to school for orchestra and come back to direct orchestra in her hometown.”

The Owasso Youth Orchestra formed in February 2011 with nine charter members. The aspiring musicians spent the first two months practicing in a student’s living room. Now, the group has grown, the instrumentation has expanded and the group rehearses at Bible Church of Owasso, where members meet every other Friday for an hour and a half.

“We have kids who are 8 (or) who are in high school, all performing together and becoming friends with each other and cultivating a spirit of music and performance together,” says Gordon, who stresses that youth from outside the community also are welcome to join. “These kids are developing relationships they never would have had outside this arena. We have private school kids and public school kids, all there together.”

Performing in an orchestra is a unique opportunity for students like Aidan Bryan, 13, who plays the cello.

“I have a chance to share the gift of music that God has blessed me with to inspire others,” says Bryan, who plans to play the cello through high school. “It also puts me under pressure, which is good for me.”

With Winters, King & Associates donating its time and expertise, the Owasso Youth Orchestra has obtained its 501(c)3 status, allowing the organization to accept donations.

Although the students usually bring their own instruments, the Owasso Youth Orchestra must incur the cost of orchestra music — not a small expenditure. The orchestra also purchased a few percussion instruments, music stands and sound equipment for its two recitals and two concerts, held annually, as well as for its community concerts, held at Bailey Medical Center, Patriot Golf Club and Stone Canyon Elementary School.

“I was very impressed with the performance and so were the teachers and students in the audience,” says George Holderman, principal at Stone Canyon, where the group performed last spring. “I want our students to see what other kids their age are doing in their spare time. … The orchestra is very beneficial for the youth of Owasso, as it gives them an activity that is positive.”

With the “sky the limit,” Garrett says, the women directing these hardworking youth on how to play together, how to follow a director, how to share music, how to turn pages and how to work together to create harmony see a future where their students extend their learning to others.

“Our ultimate goal is that they share these lessons they are learning with someone else,” Garrett says. “They are playing for the community and giving back.”