Jung Ho Pak and WYSO

One of the highlights of our summer experience this year is the fact that Mark made it into the World Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) at Interlochen. It is the premiere orchestra here and really around the world (in the realm of youth orchestras). High school kids come from all over the country, hoping to make it into WYSO. The first year, Mark was ineligible because he was in Intermediates (middle school-aged kids), although he sat first chair that year in the intermediate orchestra. Last year, he made it into the lower high-school orchestra and enjoyed it, but I must admit that as I would sit in on the rehearsals for that orchestra, my ear would bend toward WYSO's rehearsals that were in the adjoining auditorium. Seriously, WYSO's sound and maturity could rival many professional orchestras.

This year, Mark made it in, and for a moment, I digress. For any of my musical nieces or nephews, there is an interesting lesson to be learned from Mark's audition experiences. When he sent in his audition tape this year, he wasn't even placed in an orchestra. The man who placed Mark thought Mark's abilities only put him in band, and Mark was terribly disappointed. For a few weeks, he wasn't even planning on coming to Interlochen because he felt like it would be a waste of time and money. Afterall, he gets band music 24/7 back in Pennsylvania and comes to Interlochen strictly for the orchestral experience. However, he worked through a lot of things and ended up here with us (thank goodness).

When he auditioned here, not only was he NOT put in band, but he skipped the lower orchestra and jumped to WYSO. It just goes to show that there are good auditions and bad auditions. On the day of Mark's recording for his taped audition, he couldn't pull it all together. His nerves got the better of him and he sounded poor. Determined to do better, he prepared for the live audition here and succeeded. Even the teacher that has followed him for the last three years here said (at his audition), "Finally your sound matches your frame." The placements for orchestra were strictly on a point scale, and Mark scored higher than most to make it. Just goes to show--DON'T GIVE UP!!

Anyway, I'm sitting here in Kresge Auditorium, looking at over the lake, and listening to WYSO's rehearsal this morning. Jung Ho Pak, their conductor, is known world-wide for his amazing abilities. Every summer, he gives up his "day job" and comes to Interlochen. Looking through photos of him, I find it funny to see him in tuxes and white ties. Here at Interlochen, he wears what every other staff member and camper wears--a blue polo shirt, navy pants and a red sweatshirt :-)
I actually had to laugh out loud today watching him work with the orchestra. He doesn't stay on the conductor's podium--he dances all around, through the stands, in front, everywhere, attempting to pull the music out of the kids, and that he does. He sees the orchestra as his instrument, not as a bunch of individuals. He works on overall sound from the group itself instead of focusing on nit-picky details from individual groups. I guess though when he's working with the caliber kids that he his, he can do that. He's such an inspiration for Mark especially. Mark has worked three years to get to this point and hopefully both Johannah and Glo will make it here someday--to work with Jung Ho Pak, to learn from him, and to play for him.