Members of the South Texas Youth Symphony

The Valley Symphony Orchestra is proud to announce the selection of Lucas Darger as the new
South Texas Youth Symphony Conductor!

Mr. Darger earned his Master of Arts in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Iowa, where he studied with Dr. William LaRue Jones.  His Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance was completed at the University of Utah, where he studied violin with David Park and Conducting with Dr. Robert Baldwin.

Mr. Darger began his conducting career with the All-City Children’s Orchestra in Sandy, Utah, under the mentorship of Devon English Colby in 1998.  He has since conducted the Lincoln Youth Symphony in Brigham City, Utah; the University of Iowa’s Philharmonia; and the All-University String Orchestra.  He has been a guest conductor with the Lake Bonneville Community Symphony and recently with the UTB Symphony Orchestra in Brownsville, TX.

Mr. Darger is also an active performer on the violin, and has been privileged to serve as Concertmaster for both the Universities of Utah and Iowa as well as for the Ottumwa Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with orchestras across the country, and on tours
internationally, including a month-long tour through the Netherlands,
Belgium, France, and Germany with the Young Artist Chamber Players of Salt Lake City.  He is currently the Principal Second Violin in the VSO.

Mr. Darger is passionate about youth orchestras and their role in helping prepare students for academic, musical, and personal success.  When he is not performing, Mr. Darger enjoys judo, skiing, going to the beach, and spending time with his wife and two children.

The South Texas Youth Symphony (STYS) provides high quality orchestral and ensemble training for young musicians in the Rio Grande Valley through a variety of performance experiences and professional music guidance. Dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in musical education and performance, the STYS offers the opportunity for young, gifted musicians to discover within themselves a source of enrichment, beauty and self-expression, which will last a lifetime.

The STYS program supports local school music programs, and endeavors to partner with schools to enrich music education in the Rio Grande Valley.

Rehearsals are held on Sunday afternoons at the UTPA band hall.

Participants are selected through an audition.

Auditions: Sunday September 12, 2010
CALL SYMPHONY OFFICE, 956-661-1615, TO ARRANGE AUDITION TIME

2010 STYS Audition Requirements
List of STYS Audition Excerpts

Strings Audition Excerpts
STYS Violin STYS Viola STYS Cello STYS Bass

Winds Audition Excerpts
STYS Flute STYS Clarinet STYS Oboe STYS Bassoon

Brass Audition Excerpts
STYS Horn STYS Trumpet STYS Trombone STYS Tuba