Singing the Philadelphia Sinfonia's praises

IN THIS CITY OF orchestras, Philadelphia Sinfonia has earned a reputation for musical excellence and for shaping young lives. Its performance tomorrow of Beethoven's mighty Ninth Symphony, with the Mendelssohn Club chorus and soloists from the Academy of Vocal Arts, marks its season finale in Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall.

Founded 17 years ago, the youth orchestra has been led for 15 years by Gary White. A guest conductor of many regional orchestras and past chair of music at Germantown Friends School, White also was a working French horn player familiar with what orchestral musicians require from a conductor.

"Though there were other youth ensembles in the region," said White, "my board and I felt that another one could thrive if we developed a unique approach. Our mantra from the beginning was 'Educating musicians, creating artists,' and we invest them in life-coping skills, something bigger than themselves. They come away lifted, on a high they can't achieve on their own, which makes them the best individuals they can be, yet also part of a group effort."

As for the music they play, White said, "I choose from all periods and styles - classical, romantic, contemporary music, pop, jazz. There isn't much that's off-limits, but I pick music that will both educate and challenge them."

The Philadelphia Sinfonia Association consists of three ensembles. Most of tomorrow's concert will be performed by the advanced, 100-member Philadelphia Sinfonia (ages 14 to 22). The 70-member Philadelphia Sinfonia Players was created two years ago as the entry point for ages 11 to 18, and they'll perform Sibelius' "Spring Song" tomorrow. There also is a Chamber Orchestra of mostly advanced string players.

White studied at the Maine school founded by the conductor Pierre Monteux, and also at Temple with Arthur Chodoroff and Luis Biava.

One day, while coaching at Temple Music Prep's Center for Gifted Young Musicians, Biava was late and White was asked to step in and conduct Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante. He was surprised at the end to see that Biava was in the back of the hall listening.

Biava offered to work with him, and since then, he and Chodoroff have spent many hours offering White their experience on scores.

From the beginning, Sinfonia was involved in social programs and collaboration. They've performed to support food drives, Japanese earthquake relief, Kosovo refugees and Orchestras Feeding America. For Peace Day Philly, they'll play their second concert with Keystone Boychoir in Germantown on Sept. 21.

Other joint programs have involved Play On, Philly!, Musicopia, Festival of Young Musicians and Network for New Music (which has arranged commissions for them).

Some Philadelphia Orchestra players have children in Sinfonia, and there have been side-by-side rehearsals with the two orchestras.

Tours have taken Sinfonia players to Italy, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia, Poland, Finland, Argentina and Austria (see clips on YouTube). Sinfonia alumni have gone on to the Curtis Institute, Temple, Oberlin and the Juilliard School, among many others.

"We have a very supportive board and have never turned away a student who passed the audition but needs a scholarship," White said.

That's becoming more of a challenge, "since grants are drying up," he continued. "We never want to exclude a young person who has passion and talent."