NVSO’s New Youth Leader on Keeping Classical Interesting
A new director for the North Valley Symphonettes brings 14 years of experience in teaching every level of orchestra, from elementary to high school, to lead North Valley Symphony Orchestra’s youngest orchestra, made up of mostly middle-school-aged students.
Arizona native Robert Reyes also serves as orchestra director at the middle-school level in the Scottsdale Unified School District.
Outside the orchestra world, Reyes loves spending time with his wife and young daughter, as well as renovating his own home. He also enjoys playing the violin, guitar, and double bass, among other instruments.
To keep classical music interesting to young students, Reyes said it’s important to find music that is exciting and that students can perform. “Classical music definitely has its place but there are so many exciting new composers with concepts that classical music teaches,” he told In&Out. “I always urge my students to listen to the Vitamin String Quartet because they have so many interesting arrangements of pop tunes.”