Spokane Youth Orchestra Puts Troubles Behind

On Sunday, the Spokane Youth Orchestra will demonstrate its ability to (1) triumph over adversity and (2) play Beethoven.

They’ll do both at a free concert at The Met. The title of the program: “Beethoven’s World.”

There was a time, back in November, when things looked bleak for the future of this Spokane musical institution, which consists of the region’s top high school musicians. The orchestra’s conductor, Wayne Smith, resigned two weeks before the orchestra’s first concert. So did several members of the board and some of the student musicians. The dispute was essentially one of those all-too-familiar conflicts over control, common to volunteer- and parent-run arts organizations.

“There was a lot of mud-slinging going on,” said Tori Piecuch, who became the president of the Spokane Youth Symphony board during that time. “It was extremely traumatic.”

In fact, in a November letter to parents, Piecuch was moved to decry the “derogatory, vacuous and misguided palaver” that was circulating at the time.

Yet just when things looked bleakest, the board found a new conductor close at hand. Verne Windham, art and music director of KPBX-FM, stepped in and became the interim conductor.

“I couldn’t really afford the time,” said Windham, who also was the interim conductor four years ago. “But I also couldn’t turn it down, because I am crazy about those kids.”

So he had a meeting with students in the orchestra - without the parents, without the board members - and he asked them what they wanted. It turns out, they wanted to do more concerts, learn more repertoire and have a longer season.

So he gave them what they wanted. The orchestra went ahead with its winter concert, which was delayed only a week, and they added another performance to its three-concert season.

“We were very grateful that he stepped in,” said Piecuch.

“Good comes out of adversity, and now the orchestra is stronger than ever.”

The board is now in the process of conducting a search for a permanent conductor. An announcement should come by the end of April. Windham is enjoying himself so much that he said he is thinking seriously about applying for the job.

“I initially didn’t feel I could afford the time, but I really have fallen in love with the orchestra and the job,” said Windham. “With my family’s indulgence, I am making the time.”

He said he is “extremely gratified” with the way the orchestra has handled the repertoire he has given them, and he is thrilled by the prospect of Sunday’s performance.

“I am obsessed by it (the orchestra), in a good way,” said Windham. “It has a consistency of performing quality that is making me feel confident about playing the major repertoire. Every adolescent should play Beethoven. That’s what it’s about.”

Which is one reason that Sunday’s concert is titled “Beethoven’s World.” The orchestra, about 75 strong, will play the last half of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and the Egmont Overture. In addition, they will perform some Haydn and Mozart.

Even the conductor will get in on the action. Windham, a horn player, will play the first movement of Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 1, backed by the orchestra.

The Spokane Youth Orchestra is the highest-level orchestra of the four orchestras under the umbrella of the Spokane Youth Symphony.

The others are the Spokane Junior Orchestra, the Valley Junior Orchestra and the Intermediate String Orchestra. The Spokane Youth Symphony will celebrate its 50th anniversary in Spokane in two years.

“Because we haven’t been to The Met in a few years, we feel like we have been forgotten a little by the Spokane community,” said Windham. “This concert should help that.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: The Spokane Youth Orchestra will perform at 7 p.m. Sunday at The Met. Admission is free.