Lima, OH (March 23, 2023) – The Lima Area Youth Orchestra will be performing their final concert of the season this coming Sunday, March 26 at 5 PM at Lima Senior High School (1 Spartan Way, Lima, OH 45801).
The theme of this year-end concert is “The Classics: Inside Out!” The program highlights how music can convey a multitude of emotions, such as Joy (Finale from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Schubert’s Lebenslust), Fun (Jupiter from Holst’s Planets), Mystery (Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio), Pride (Dvorak’s New World Symphony), Sadness (Weep O Mine Eyes by Bennet), Longing (Oceans and Stars by Beron), and others. Closing the concert is a medley of Beatle’s tunes - classics of rock, of course!
The Lima Area Youth Orchestra was established in 1968 and has been serving the youth in our community, providing quality experiences and education in music. The Youth Chorus was founded in 2022 by Anthony Taylor. The Lima Area Youth Orchestra and the Youth Chorus are comprised of auditioned students between grades 7 and 12 from several area schools. The directors are Dr. Sarah Waters from Ohio Northern University, Mr. Joseph MacBenn from Lima Schools, and Mr. Anthony Taylor from Shawnee Schools. LAYO is an educational opportunity for young musicians throughout northwest Ohio to further develop their musical skills and talents in a professional setting. LAYO seeks to develop pride and self-esteem in young musicians from all cultural backgrounds, linking them with musical achievement and instilling values and discipline they will carry throughout their lives.
The Lima Area Youth Orchestra is sponsored by:
The Lima Symphony Orchestra
The Lima Noon Optimists
The Lima Symphony Orchestra is dedicated to preserving musical excellence as a living part of our community. Serving communities throughout West Central Ohio, the Lima Symphony annually presents five subscription concerts, a family concert, Mozart by Candlelight concerts and an annual New Year’s Eve Pops concert.
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For more information about the Lima Symphony Orchestra or for tickets, please contact the Lima Symphony at 419-222-5701 or www.limasymphony.com.
Dr. Sarah Waters
Dr. Sarah Waters is an Associate Professor in Music at Ohio Northern University and is also the Director of the ONU Annual Summer Music Camp. A native of Lima, Ohio, she has a Bachelor of Music Education from Ohio Northern University, a Master of Music from Western Michigan University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from The Ohio State University. She performs with the Lima Symphony Orchestra and has been the President of the Ohio Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society. Waters is currently the Director of the ONU Chamber Winds, a select group of musicians that perform new music written for wind ensembles. Waters has written several articles in Percussive Notes from her research and performance experiences in Africa, China, South America, Europe, and the Caribbean. She also has published music for percussion with C. Alan Publications and Per-Mus Publications. Together with her colleague, Dr. David Kosmyna, their CD, “Shreds: music for Trumpet and Percussion,” was released through Centaur Records in 2015. “Duoma,” Waters’ percussion duo with Dr. Renee Keller, recently performed at the National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy and the Women in Music Conference. She and her husband, Rob (ONU History Department) have two boys: Donald and Robby.
Joseph MacBenn
Joseph MacBenn is the co-director of the Lima Area Youth Orchestra. As an educator in the Lima City School District, Joseph has been a valued member of the string orchestra faculty since 2001 and works with string orchestra students in grades 5-12. MacBenn has an extensive history of musical study and performance including over 40 years of violin and over 25 years on a variety of brass instruments. A lifelong learner, MacBenn has pursued higher level musicianship through study with celebrated chamber musicians like the Miró, pianist Roman Rudnystky, and has attended masterclasses with the famed American violinist Darol Anger. MacBenn received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Mount Union in 2001 and continued on to earn a Master’s degree in Education from Ohio Northern University in 2005. He returned to the University of Mount Union in 2015 to successfully complete a Master of Educational Leadership. Joe lives in Lima with his wife, Melissa, their daughter Megan, and two cats: Snickers and Reecie. He is proud to once again work with so many great musicians from the area and is thankful for the opportunity.