Symphony exposes students to more music

School music programs are important to a young musician's development, but the programs can't include everything.

A symphony, however, can — which is one of the goals of the Yuba-Sutter Youth Symphony.

"My mission as a musical director is to expose them to stuff they won't get in a school program," said James Lohman, conductor of the youth symphony.

The Yuba-Sutter Youth Symphony will have this year's inaugural concert on Saturday at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Yuba City.

The pieces the symphony will perform on Saturday reflect Lohman's approach. Among them: a Brandenburg concierto by Bach; "An American in Paris" by George Gershwin; "All Glory, Laud and Honor" by David Winkler; and "Blue Tango" by Leroy Anderson.

"It's a mixture of pops and classical music," Lohman said. "It should be appealing to all audiences."

Previous concerts have also included more musically interesting pieces, such as selections from Broadway musicals, Latin jazz and an entire concert of Mozart compositions.

"We really try to do a wide range," Lohman said.

Lohman has conducted the youth symphony since it began four years ago. The Yuba-Sutter Oratorio Society — known for its annual performance of Handel's "Messiah," among other performances — started the symphony to help build the orchestra tradition in the Yuba-Sutter community.

Members of the youth symphony come from high schools around the area — including Yuba City, Marysville, Sutter, Wheatland and the Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts — as well as some students at Yuba College.

"Our youngest member is 12, and the concert master is 19," Lohman said. "Most are high school age."

The group typically performs four concerts per season.

In addition, the River Valley High School orchestra will join the youth symphony for Saturday's