Community
The Narrows Music Society is committed to service in our community. We encourage good citizenship and service by supporting efforts that cultivate meaningful opportunities for engagement by the members of our organization, whether as volunteers, donors, voters or patrons. This service ethos comes to life every time we help – whether with a simple, everyday request, an emergency situation or performing.
Young Artists
Our programs seek to bring audiences to a new relationship with music and the arts through programs that build on the work of educators, to engage teachers in preparing students for concert attendance, and to involve students in performances.
Young Artist Concert
The Harbor Winds is an acclaimed community symphonic band dedicated to providing its audiences with the highest quality classical and contemporary music. The Young Artist Soloist Competition reflects our desire to recognize and encourage talented young musicians in the Gig Harbor area and throughout the Kitsap Peninsula. We are inviting high school brass, woodwind, percussion and piano students to audition and participate in the 6th annual Young Artists Soloist Competition.
Click to Download 2020 Application Here
ELIGIBILITY
- Any high school woodwind, brass, percussion or piano student from the Peninsula, Bremerton, South Kitsap, North Mason or Vashon School Districts who has received the recommendation of his/her high school band director. Participants must be members in good standing of their high school music program. Home-schooled students are encouraged to participate.
BENEFITS
- Perform as a soloist with the Harbor Winds at Chapel Hill Presbyterian on February 09, 2020.
- Receive coaching in style, interpretation, and stage presence from Conductor Eric Swanson.
- Use this opportunity to gain experience to compete for regional and state solo competitions and college scholarships.
REQUIREMENTS (Read Carefully)
- The student must perform a live solo audition on December 09, 2019 at Gig Harbor High School Band Room. The piece performed must be of high musical and technical substance and quality. The piece must be approved in advance of the competition by the Harbor Winds.
- The piece or movement from a piece should be performed in its entirety.
- The performance time must not exceed 12 minutes.
- The soloist may be accompanied by piano at the audition. The soloist is responsible for providing their own accompanist.
- The solo performed at the audition must be the one intended for the performance with the Harbor Winds.
- The piece selected must have a band accompaniment easily and readily available to borrow or purchase. Music available as “rental only” will not be acceptable. It is the responsibility of the soloist to research the availability (publisher or source to borrow) of the band arrangement and the cost to purchase. If the selected piece is not approved by Harbor Winds for the competition, the student must select a different piece.
- The student must be available for rehearsals (January 21, 27 and February 3, 2020) and the concert on February 09, 2020. Not all applicants will be selected to audition.
**IMPORTANT: Signatures may be required at the time of audition if the student is selected. Applications must be received or submitted electronically no later than: Friday, November 29, 2019
Student Musicians
The NMS Young Artists’ Program provides student musicians who have achieved an extraordinary level of performance on their chosen instrument the opportunity to perform with a seasoned professional symphonic wind ensemble. This invaluable experience is an integral part of The Narrows Music Society’s commitment to youth, music education and community.
Student musicians are provided a unique opportunity to rehearse and perform in a large ensemble alongside other musicians in the community. The Young Artists’ program is open to students currently in grades 8-12. All students must audition. All instruments are invited to audition.
Audition requirements include:
- a prepared one-minute solo piece of your choice and;
- a short session of sight reading
Lobby Entertainment
The Society proudly invites young musicians from the greater Gig Harbor community to perform in the lobby before concerts and during intermission. Groups have included: quartets, jazz bands, duets, youth theatre groups, and vocal groups. The “Lobby Kids” gain performance experience by playing for music and entertainment lovers.
Youth Education
Each year, through the generous support of community businesses, grade-school students in local schools are treated to kid-friendly performances by members of the Narrows Music Society. Musicians talk with students and show them their instruments. Students get excited about music and want to get involved by joining their local school music program.