UVU Orchestra: More Than Music

Eric Curtis

October 21, 2020

schedule 2 min read
UVU's Symphony Orchestra is finding ways to push through the pandemic and let their music be heard. Illustration by Ysabel Berger.

The UVU Orchestra is an incredible part of UVU’s Department of Music. The Symphony Orchestra reflects the department’s four core objectives towards its mission — providing nationally competitive programs, presenting public performances, fostering an atmosphere of learning and retaining high-achieving students allows the orchestra to perform at high levels of musical wonder. 

The orchestra recently finished performing for Beethoven’s 250th Anniversary on Oct. 13, 2020. Assembled to provide a wide array of 18th to 21st century literature, the UVU Symphony Orchestra may be influencing more than just their audience. 

The orchestra’s performances have been recognized at the President’s Scholarship Ball,  UVU’s Commencement and other events with the  UVU Center for Constitutional Studies. The UVU Center for Constitutional Studies has honored guests such as Mike Levitt and David McCullough. The UVU Symphony Orchestra holds true to its purpose of enriching the musical abilities of students and empowering the community of musicians throughout the state of Utah. 

Utah Regional Ballet, UVU Contemporary Ensemble, Wasatch Chorale, UVU Opera, Westlake High School Chorus and Lakeridge Junior High School Orchestra are just a few of the orchestra’s collaboration partners. 

This wide array of musical influencers inspires the Orchestra Festival, a special Junior High Orchestra Festival event, held each year in May. Such an event allows younger students to enter the Noorda Center for the Performing Arts and share their musical talents with others. 

Derek Curtis, patron services coordinator of the Noorda Center for the Performing Arts explained that the orchestra is currently limited to UVU students, faculty and staff due to COVID-19 measures. 

“This is part of the “Orange” phase of the state’s COVID Response Matrix,” he said. 

COVID-19 may have temporarily postponed the public’s ability to view the orchestra, but in time coronavirus phasing will return to “Green” and allow for live performances. Despite the restrictions the Orchestra’s influence can still be felt throughout the community as performances continue. After all, Beethoven did say that “music can change the world”.