The Fire of Youth Concert started from the vision of Mr. John Kuehl, a board member with the Kenosha Symphony Orchestra. What is a better bond between the student musicians in area high schools and the professional musicians of the KSO could be created? What could be done that would not only provide an educational experience for the youth, but an entertaining and musically strong program for the greater community? Out of this, the Fire of Youth program was forged. Jullian Craig with the Kenosha News wrote a lovely story highlighting this partnership!
For the first time, 30 Kenosha Unified high school students will take the stage at the Ralph J. Houghton Performance Center at Reuther High School with the Kenosha Symphony Orchestra for a concert Saturday, Oct. 18.
Students will perform Mozart’s “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” during the “Fire of the Youth” concert from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are available at kenoshasymphony.org.
Kenosha Symphony Orchestra Board member John Kuehl said he was inspired to put together a side-by-side concert after watching a fall orchestra concert at Tremper High School and a holiday orchestra concert at Indian Trail High School and Academy.
“It’s also a way to honor my great aunt Grace Kolakowski, who gave me a $100,000 gift to the orchestra through the community foundation,” he said. “We’re going to dedicate this concert to her.” Kolakowski has been a supporter of the arts in Kenosha for 40 years, Kuehl said. She was part of a group of women who wanted to create a performing arts center in Kenosha, and even raised money and did a feasibility study on the possibility of such a center. When plans for the center did not come through, Kolakowski looked to find other ways to support performing arts, Kuehl said.
“That’s when I came up with these ideas,” he said. “(Grace) is very passionate about education. You put education and performing arts together, those are all her passions. This is who she is.”
Kuehl met with KUSD orchestra directors in May to discuss the idea. Bradford High School Orchestra Director Heather Kamikawa said the directors met separately to discuss the logistics of taking part in a concert. From there, students were selected by directors to participate. Kamikawa said some of the criteria included selecting students who were interested, available on Oct. 18, upperclassmen and study with a teacher outside of school.
The students, like Lydia Kennedy, a Tremper High School senior and cellist, said they were looking forward to the opportunity to perform a well-known classical piece with such a combined group. “I am really excited to play with the professionals for the concert itself,” she said.
Jakob Mueller, a junior cellist at Indian Trail High School and Academy, is looking forward to meeting people in the music profession.
“It’s more of an honor to be recognized in such a way,” Mueller said
Kenzy Keckler, a senior violinist at Indian Trail, said it’s “exciting to be part of such a large event and (playing) such a great piece. I’m hoping to learn and grow a lot from this. I’m hoping I gain some valuable insight.”
Jose Ortiz, a junior violinist at Bradford High School, said he previously played in a side-by-side concert in Racine and is looking forward to performing in Saturday’s event. “It feels nice to be able to play on a stage with professionals,” he said.
Marcus Hill, a junior violist who attends LakeView but plays in the Harborside Orchestra, said he feels “great that I’m able to play next to a professional. I’m going to take as much as I can from it.” “I’m also a member of the Kenosha Symphony, and I play in the viola section, and this is why I’m a teacher,” Kamikawa said. “We strive to connect students to the community and to show what we do, not only in the classroom, but how you can use music to empower students and just get people excited about music, especially younger generations.”
Kamikawa said it’s fun for the high school teachers because they get to work together. Kuehl added that seeing parts of the concert come together at rehearsal feels “like I’m passing it on to the next generation.”
“Hopefully at their age they’re saying ‘This is something I can do for the rest of my life. When high school is over, I can keep doing this,’” he said.
Other concert selections will include “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Freddie Mercury, arranged by Nicolas Hersh; “Danzon No. 2” by Arturo Marquez; and “Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73” by Johannes Brahms.
Kuehl said he chose the selections because they are some of his favorites and wanted there to be “music that I know is really exciting.” “I wanted to have music that was going to really appeal to people who might come to this concert because of a relationship with one of the players, but I want to hook them to keep coming,” he said.
Kuehl said he’s most looking forward to seeing a “full house.” “I really hope we sell out the place,” he said. “I just want to have the audience be stunned by what they hear. That’s the excitement that I’m looking forward to, so that people leave here with a real positive experience and say, ‘Hey, let’s come back to the symphony.’”
