Frequently Asked Questions
How often does the BN Youth Symphony rehearse?
We typically rehearse on Monday evenings from 7-9pm. Rehearsals are held at the School of Music at Illinois Wesleyan Univeristy and run from Sept-Dec and Feb-May. Check the calendar for specifics.
How often does the BN Youth Symphony perform?
We typically perform a fall and spring concert and join the Illinois Symphony Orchestra for a Holiday pops concert. See the calendar for current dates.
What kind of repertoire does the BN Youth Symphony perform?
Part of the BN Youth Symphony’s mission is to provide “opportunities for them to study, learn, and perform music of the great masters.” Most concerts contain works from the great masters of orchestral music along with a modern pops piece.
Is there a cost to participate in the BN Youth Symphony?
Current season membership fees are $200 per student. You can pay the membership fee in person or online here. There is a multi-student discount. Scholarships are available.
How many students are involved?
The BNYS draws musicians from Bloomington-Normal and the surrounding area schools, and maintains approximately 60 members.
What are the rehearsal procedures?
Attendance at all rehearsals is required except for illness or emergency. Members must NOT make commitments for other activities on rehearsal nights.
Attendance at all concerts is required. NO other activities should take precedence.
There is to be NO TALKING during rehearsals except in whispers and then only about the music.
There is to be NO FOOD OR DRINK in the rehearsal room.
No one is to handle another person's instrument without that person's permission.
All members are expected to learn their parts during practice at home so more rehearsal time can be devoted to expressiveness. Each member receives a set of parts that MUST BE BROUGHT TO ALL REHEARSALS.
Members must be at rehearsal at 7:00 to prepare instruments, prepare music, and warm up. The symphony tunes at 7:10 and rehearsing begins at 7:15. There is a 15-minute break and the rehearsal ends promptly at 9:00.
All members are required to be in an appropriate school music organization. The symphony is not intended to replace the school programs in any way but rather to enhance them.
All members must have extra strings, reeds, mutes, etc., at all times.
All instruments are to be kept in cases during break time.
What is the attendance policy?
Attendance at all rehearsals is very important to the success of the Bloomington Normal Youth Symphony. Quality performance of difficult literature can only happen with dedication to the group.
The only excused absences are for illness, hazardous driving conditions due to the weather, family death or emergency, religious holiday, or mandatory attendance at a school music PERFORMANCE.
If any absence occurs, the absentee must provide a written excuse giving the member's name, date of absence, and reason for the absence. This must be provided to Mrs. Bryant BEFORE the date of the rehearsal. If, due to sudden illness, this is impossible, the absentee is to contact Mrs. Bryant or the BNYS Manager as soon as possible.
Any absence other than stated in #1 will be unexcused. If the proper notification of an excused absence is not given, the absence is unexcused.
After more than two unexcused absences, you will no longer qualify to be a member of the Bloomington Normal Youth Symphony.
What is the Concert Dress Code?
PERFORMANCE DRESS In order to maintain a uniform look throughout our ensemble, and minimize distraction for our audiences, we have adopted the following concert dress guidelines:
Solid black (pants/skirt and blouse/button down)
Black socks/leggings and shoes
If you choose to wear a button-down shirt, a black bowtie is also expected. A coat is not required, but encouraged.
How did the BN Youth Symphony begin?
In 1989, the formation of the Bloomington Normal Youth Symphony was made possible by the desire, knowledge, and skill of Dr. Howard H. Rye, as well as a considerable donation from the Amateur Musical Club, which phased out of existence at that time. The Amateur Musical Club had an impressive 100-year history of procuring world-class musicians to perform in Bloomington-Normal solo recitals and with the then Bloomington Normal Symphony. The legacy of that tradition of community enhancement through musical performance continues on today in the spirit and mission of the Bloomington Normal Youth Symphony.
The first youth symphony grew out of many ensembles that Dr. Rye coached in his home, beginning with string groups and gradually adding wind players. The need for a full orchestra became evident, and BNYS was formed, performing its first concert in November of 1989. Sponsored solely by the Amateur Musical Club, the first five BNYS concerts were organized by Dr. Rye, with input from several key members of that club. He conducted the BNYS until 1994 when Deanne Bryant became the conductor. Mrs. Bryant continued to develop the youth symphony, adding a Board of Directors in 1994.
The BNYS relies on volunteer help from parents. It is the hope of the Board of Directors that the Symphony will remain an outstanding orchestra in the community, challenging its members to increase their knowledge and skills in music while striving for excellence.
About Conductor Logan Campbell
Logan Campbell enjoys a robust career as a conductor, equally at home with Symphonic repertoire for Orchestra and Wind Band, Pops, Opera, and Musical Theatre. Logan is the Director of Large Instrumental Ensembles at Illinois Wesleyan University and also teaches courses in conducting and double reeds as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Music. As of August 2023, Campbell also assumed the position of Music Director of the Bloomington Normal Youth Symphony. He most recently concluded his two year tenure as the Assistant Conductor of the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Conductor of the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestras. He was also the Music Director of the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) Orchestra and taught Applied Voice at UIS and Lincoln Land Community College.
Logan is the Founder and Artistic Director of Appalachia: A Southeastern Wind Symphony, now in its 6th season. Campbell started the wind group while in his graduate studies at the University of Tennessee, but has continued to grow and develop this unique regional ensemble. Aiming to offer networking opportunities for collegiate students and recent alumni from Southeastern universities, Appalachia has grown tremendously well and now has over 15 universities represented every concert cycle. Logan leads this group by designing diverse and compelling programs that are exciting and informative for all ages.
Also during his graduate studies, Logan worked with the Knoxville Symphony Youth Orchestra Association. The KSYOA consists of 6 orchestras and he was appointed conductor of the Chamber Orchestra, the organization's 2nd highest group. Campbell also worked as a guest conductor, rehearsal conductor, and cover conductor with area orchestras like the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Scruffy City Orchestra, Morristown Community Orchestra, and Brevard Philharmonic. As a student at UT, he worked with the UT Symphony Orchestra, UT Opera Orchestra, UT Chamber Orchestra, VolOpera, and UT Opera Theatre.
As a Bass-baritone, Logan performed with the UT Opera Theatre from 2018-2020 in productions of La Finta Giardiniera and Carmen, Knoxville Opera in 2019 in Lucia di Lammermoor, Furman Lyric Opera in Die Zauberflöte, and the Franco-American Vocal Academy in Le Nozze di Figaro and Bastien und Bastienne. More recently, Logan was the Bass soloist with the UT Chamber Singers in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, performed at the Tennessee Theatre in February 2020, and Handel’s Messiah, performed in December 2019.
Logan has performed internationally, mostly in Germany. Selected as an ambassador for the State Department funded program, The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals, he lived in Leipzig, Germany for a year and studied German language, politics, and music. He worked as a conducting assistant at Oper Leipzig and with the Gewandhaus Orchester. Outside of conducting, he performed as an oboist with STÜBA, the Youth Wind Symphony of Saxony, and the Leipzig Wind Ensemble.
Logan Campbell holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Furman University and a double Masters of Music degree in Voice Performance and Orchestral Conducting from the University of Tennessee. Logan is the recipient of the Thomas Fulton Career Development Award for his outstanding work as a conducting and voice student at UT. His primary conducting teachers were James Fellenbaum, Dr. Leslie Hicken, Dr. Hugh Floyd, and Maestro Edvard Tchivzhel.
Board of Directors
These individuals meet regularly and work diligently to ensure the smooth running of the BNYS during the orchestra season. If you are a parent of a BNYS member and you are interested in becoming a Board member, please contact the Chairperson.
President: Roy Guzman
Vice-President: Kim Woodman
Secretary: Stephanie Kinzinger
Treasurer: Matt Johnston
Technical Support: Isaac Gaff
Publicity/Social Media: Krista Gaff, Beth Mays, Sue Beigie
Ex officio Members: Logan Campbell (Conductor), Laura Dolan (Manager)