At the Spokane Youth Strings level, personal and musical skills that the parent and the private teacher have encouraged are validated through the new orchestra experience. Students participate in their school orchestra programs, helping them to be prepared for participation in Strings. An entrance audition is required in which the student performs a short solo selection and the required study piece and scales. The Strings students play at early intermediate to intermediate skill levels.
The Spokane Youth Strings rehearses on Monday evenings, 6:00-8:00 p.m., from September through May. Location: Manito United Methodist Church, 3220 S. Grand Blvd.
Spokane Youth Strings conductor, Dr. John Marshall, is the Director of Orchestra/Professor of Cello at Eastern Washington University. In addition to teaching at EWU, Dr. Marshall performs over 60 concerts a year as principal cellist with the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. During the summer, Dr. Marshall teaches cello and chamber music at the Interlochen Arts Camp.
Dr. Marshall holds degrees from three of the most prestigious music schools in the country: a BM from Indiana University, an MM from Yale University, and a DM from Northwestern University. At these schools, Dr. Marshall studied with some of the most distinguished cellists in the world: Janos Starker, Aldo Parisot, and Hans Jensen. Dr. Marshall strives to combine the varying strengths of these three pedagogues into his own teaching methods. Dr. Marshall’s doctoral dissertation focused on compositions for two cellos and orchestra.
In 2001, Dr. Marshall initiated the CELLObration Spokane festival. Now an annual event at EWU, CELLObration brings together over 50 student and professional cellists from all over the Northwest for a day of learning and performing music for cello ensemble.