Idaho Falls Youth Symphony asks audience to take out their phones
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IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls Youth Symphony is asking its audience to use their smartphones during its “Sweet Suites” concerts this week.
A QR code in the program will link to a scenic video tour of Norwegian fjords while the youth symphony performs the Karelia Suite by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.
“This is something we are testing out,” said Dr. Thomas Heuser, music director of the Idaho Falls Symphony. “We hope the video will not distract the audience but enhance the musical experience.”
This will be Youth Symphony Conductor Kendell Nielsen’s first concert with the youth orchestra. Nielsen, who lives in Rexburg, is a former faculty member at BYU-Idaho, and now teaches music for Idaho Falls School District 91.
Nielsen said the idea is to help the younger generation get excited about the music and to use their smartphones to enhance the experience and relax.
“I thought it would be cool and would get people talking about it,” said Nielsen. “It was something that I had never heard of before, and wanted to try it out.”
Nielsen is joined this year by an assistant conductor, Ariel Loveland, a local musician and music educator. Loveland will conduct the Little Suite for Strings by Carl Nielsen.
Together, Nielsen and Loveland direct 112 students in the Youth Symphony, which operates under the auspices of the Idaho Falls Symphony. Students come from as far as Sugar City and Blackfoot to perform with the Youth Symphony. Many performers are high school and junior high school students.
“These students are playing at such a high level that people won’t be able to distinguish that they are students,” said Heuser. “They play at such a high level it is impressive.”
The winter concert will be performed on Wednesday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the Barrus Concert Hall at BYU-Idaho in Rexburg, and again the following evening, Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m., at the Hillcrest High School Performing Arts Center in Idaho Falls. Rexburg tickets available through www.byui.edu/center-stage, and Idaho Falls tickets available through www.ifsymphony.org.