Summit County musicians of all ages and skill levels have a new opportunity to hone their craft and perform for the local community: the Summit Symphonic community orchestra.
“We started off as a ragtag group that would get together and play whatever we felt like, but then we decided it would be better if we could get something for the community to come listen to and enjoy,” said violinist Katie Harmon, the symphony’s founder. “Watching it slowly get built out has been really exciting, and the community response has been nice.”
Harmon was inspired to create the symphony because Coalville, where she lives, didn’t have any performance groups for adults. North Summit High School has a marching band but not an orchestra, and Harmon said there were no options for adult residents to continue their musical education.
Summit Symphonic’s first rehearsal was in April, and Harmon said she quickly realized the musicians needed a director. She enlisted fellow violinist Ramona Pace to fill the role over the summer, calling Pace a good fit for the fledgling orchestra because of her decades of professional experience.
“I have a music education degree from the University of Utah, and I’ve taught middle school and high school strings in Evanston for the last 10 years,” Pace said. “We want to get (the symphony) to the performance level, but we also want to keep an educational component and include younger kids who are beginning and encourage them to come.”
Harmon said the symphony has approximately 20 players so far, all with varying skill levels. Some musicians are in middle school or high school and have never had the chance to play in an ensemble before, while others are long-time community members who have played their instrument for decades.
“I have a lady who’s 70 years old and plays the violin, and I usually try to sit her next to someone a little bit younger who she can mentor,” Pace said. “A couple of my high school students are quite proficient, so it’s the same thing. They’re going to connect with someone who’s in middle school to say, ‘Oh, let’s try this.’ It’s pretty helpful to have the older ones mentor the youngest.”
The age differences also create a community for the musicians, which Harmon said has been her favorite part of the experience.
“One of the coolest moments for me was during one of the first practices because this guy came in and had his trumpet, and he was just beaming from ear to ear,” Harmon said. “He was like, ‘I haven’t pulled this out in decades, and I’m so excited to have somewhere to play this.’ Our other trumpet player is quite young, I think around 11, and he was like, ‘I finally have a buddy!’ There’s just this camaraderie there.”
Pace said she intentionally chooses music that’s manageable for beginners but still complicated enough to require technical skills from more experienced players. She also transcribes or writes easier parts for players who are struggling so they can still participate and learn the basics they need.
“With your violin teacher or cello teacher, you’re doing a solo repertoire at home mostly, so this is a good experience for everyone to play in a group, learn how to play the melody, the harmony, the different rhythms,” Pace said. “It’s been fun to help the younger ones come along and get that group experience.”
Summit Symphonic had its first public performance last week at the Summit County Fair, and Harmon said she hopes the ensemble will continue to play at local events, like Christmas parades or Fourth of July celebrations.
The orchestra practices at 7 p.m. on Thursdays at the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum on Coalville’s Main Street. Information about the symphony, including how to join, is available in the Summit Symphonic Facebook group or by emailing [email protected].