- April 26, 2024
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Among the 25 numbers performed June 4 at the culminating concert of the Flagler Youth Orchestra's second-annual Chamber Music Camp, one number stood out because of one thing all five musicians had in common: their last name.
The Reedy siblings played a traditional Irish tune, "Merrily Kiss the Quaker." Seth, 18, Hannah, 13, and Rebekah Reedy, 11, played violin; Jacob Reedy, 20, played viola, and Caleb Reedy, 16, played cello.
Jacob Reedy, who is pursuing a music education degree at the University of North Florida, admits to being the taskmaster in the family.
“Today it was rough,” he said, referring to the final practice session before the concert. “I pulled out a metronome.”
Seth Reedy said each sibling practices for about 30 minutes per day on one instrument or another. He said playing together as siblings builds character.
“You don't want to let anyone else down,” he said. “It makes you want to work hard to sound good.”
The Reedys play prelude music together occasionally at Community Baptist Church, near their home in Korona. Seth Reedy was also the fiddler in the recent Flagler Playhouse production of “The Fiddler on the Roof.”
One or two Reedys joined other musicians in various chamber groups during the Flagler Youth Orchestra concert.
The final two groups were led by guest coach Lucas Drew, who was offered a gift basket for his efforts in the summer camp. Alexander Lynn and Austin Smith played the cello, and Jeremy Bartlett played the doublebass in one group. In the second group, which concluded the concert with impressive performances of two pieces by Mozart, comprised Daniel Masbad and Sadie Tristam on the violin, Mary Thompson on the viola and Alexander Lynn on the cello.
More than 60 musicians participated in all. During the concert at the United Methodist Church of Bunnell, parents and grandparents took their turns crouching in the aisles to record the performances on video cameras and cell phones.
In addition to the musical guidance throughout the camp, Director Caren Umbarger offered practical direction to the performers-in-waiting during the concert: Be silent while your peers perform, she said. It was a reminder that being part of a chamber group is about more than just learning an instrument.
Be careful with your violin bows, she said. And absolutely do not pluck your strings while in the audience. She said: "We can hear you."
To learn more about the Flagler Youth Orchestra, which offers free lessons so that "we can hear you," click here.
