The Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony is an elite instrumental performing ensemble based in Cleveland, Ohio. The ensemble is selected regularly to perform on the international level. Their most recent international tour was to Sydney, Australia, where the Symphony was the premier ensemble at the Premiering Sydney event. The group performed in the Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...

, combining with three other ensembles to premier a new David Gillingham piece, "The Sails of Time."

Founding

The Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony (CYWS) was founded in 1989 by Dr. Gary M. Ciepluch and Robert McAllister. The group was created as a joint venture between Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...

 and The Cleveland Institute of Music. In 1995, the group became too large, and was thus split into upper and lower parts, The Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony Group I and II, respectively. Both groups are full ensembles, the former being conducted by Dr. Ciepluch, and the latter by Melissa Lichter. As of November 1, 2009 another group has been added to CYWS. According to the announcement by Dr. Ciepluch at the concert on November 1, 2009, there are so many talented young people in the area schools, he and the other directors decided to start this third group. The groups are intended to provide talented high school students the opportunity to play exceptionally difficult high school pieces, college literature, and "Grade 6" professional works. Members come from about 75 area high schools. Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony, both groups I and II, is based in Severance Hall

Severance Hall

Severance Hall is a concert hall located in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. The hall has been the home of the Cleveland Orchestra since its opening on February 5, 1931...

.

Directors

Dr. Gary Ciepluch is an internationally recognized expert on contemporary band literature. A talented clarinetist himself, Dr. Ciepluch takes it upon himself to find the group the most challenging and interesting band literature available for his ensembles. This often means premiering new pieces, such as Christopher Tucker's "A Light in the Deep." Under his leadership, CYWS has taken seven international concert tours, the most recent of which culminated in a performance in the Sydney Opera House.

Repertoire

The Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony is noted for the outstanding quality of works performed by the ensemble. CYWS, both group I and II, constantly strives to play the most advanced literature for band. The advanced abilities of the member musicians enables the group to play extraordinarily difficult music for the age of the members. For example, Group I performed David Holsinger's "Ballet Sacre" during the 2006-2007 season, a piece some college bands would shy away from playing. Other literature performed by the group includes Grainger's "Lincolnshire Posy," James Barnes's "Third Symphony, Op. 89," and Ralph Hultgren's "Bushdance" .

Orchestration

Both Group I and II are standard large wind symphonies. This orchestration includes flutes, piccolos, clarinets, bass clarinets, oboes, bassoons, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, horns in F, trumpets, trombones, tubas, and a myriad of percussion. However, the advanced literature that both groups perform often calls for a more diverse orchestration. Thus, an English Horn is not uncommon, nor is a soprano sax during solo sections. More uncommonly, Group I required a member to play contrabassoon while premiering Christopher Tucker's "A Light in the Deep." Piano accompaniments to pieces are fairly common, and the group membership almost certainly contains an accomplished pianist.