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Who we are...

Under the leadership of new Artistic Director and Conductor Jonathan Moser, the orchestra is poised and ready to enter an exciting new era of music making!

The Erie Junior Philharmonic has been an orchestra for young people since 1947, and is the third oldest youth orchestra in the United States. Graduates are now playing in orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, the Columbus Symphony, the Erie Philharmonic, and many other orchestras across the country.

The Erie Junior Philharmonic offers weekly rehearsals, sectional coaching, and advanced chamber ensembles for members of the string, brass, woodwind, and percussion sections of the orchestra. Performance opportunities include annual winter and spring concerts, a tour of schools, ensemble performances, an annual concerto competition, and a performance with the Erie Philharmonic.

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The Junior Philharmonic in action!

Jonathan Moser – conductor, violinist, violist, vocalist and teacher – has loved music ever since childhood when he would sit under the family piano listening to his parents and grandmother playing Beethoven, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff. His formal musical education began at five years old as a violin student, an education he pursued through a Bachelor of Music in Performance degree from Shenandoah University and a Master of Music in Performance degree from Arizona State University, with additional Doctoral studies in performance. Mr. Moser has enjoyed working with many outstanding teachers including Dara Morales, Katie McLin, James Stern, Sergiu Schwartz, Linda Cerone, and Ronda Cole, and he has performed in master classes with Jaime Laredo, Claude Frank, Sylvia Rosenberg, Shlomo Mintz, and Sergiu Luca.

During his studies, Mr. Moser enjoyed minoring in voice, studying viola, and discovering his love of conducting. Now entering his second year as director of the Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra, he has already enjoyed leading the orchestra into new and exciting adventures. He has expanded the performance schedule to include three full symphonic concerts and is accompanying the opera as well. He instituted an annual concerto competition, led the ensemble through the shift from a chamber group to a full symphony, and has exponentially expanded the membership. Summers, he can be found working as the Orchestra Program and Adjudication Director for the Philadelphia International Music Festival where he organizes and oversees between 7-10 orchestras reaching four to five hundred students. Recent prior posts include Orchestra Director at Kutztown University and Music Director of the Wilmington Community Orchestra. Before moving to Philadelphia, he was the Director of Orchestras and Instructor of Music at Westminster College and served as Adjunct Faculty for Grove City College. He has also been the Director of Music at University Presbyterian Church, Providence Presbyterian Church, and Proclamation Presbyterian Church.

An active performer, Mr. Moser regularly concertizes with chamber ensembles, as a recitalist, and with orchestras. This year he begins his tenure as Principal Second Violin with the Erie Philharmonic. Mr. Moser also will be performing as Soloist with the Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra and the Bloomsburg Symphony Orchestra. This year he will also be performing at SUNY Fredonia and in Virginia. This past December 2016, Mr. Moser enjoyed the opportunity to participate in an expansive ten city orchestra tour of China. For two years he toured extensively with Sandip Burman – an internationally renowned tabla artist. Mr. Moser was also a member of the Wheeling Symphony, Music at Ethical: Concerts on the Square players and the Bay-Atlantic Symphony. Mr. Moser has served as concertmaster for Pittsburgh Opera Theater, Music on the Edge, the Erie Philharmonic, and Musica Nova, among others. He has served as Principal Second with the Bay-Atlantic Symphony and the Wheeling Symphony. Mr. Moser was winner of the Pittsburgh Concert Society Solo Competition, the Philadelphia College of Bible Solo Competition (2 years), the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association Solo Competition, the Shenandoah University Concerto competition, and was a finalist in the National Symphony Orchestra's Young Soloists Competition. Mr. Moser was a founding member of the Arizona State University’s Katherine K. Herberger Graduate String Quartet.

2019-20 Season Auditions

September 3-5, 2019

Strong Vincent MS

Call Maura Pelinsky at 814.450.6951 for specific instrument availability.

Symphony and Chamber Orchestras

Audition requirements for strings, woodwinds, and brass

• A solo or piece of your choosing that fully demonstrates your finest playing, such as a piece you are working on in lessons or a piece you performed with your school

• Major scales and arpeggios up to four flats and sharps

• Melodic minor scales and arpeggios up to four sharps and flats

• Sight-reading

Audition requirements for Percussion

• You may choose to audition on snare drum, snare drum and timpani, or snare drum, timpani and marimba/xylophone.

  • Snare Drum

    • A solo or piece of your choosing that fully demonstrates your finest playing, such as a piece you are working on in lessons or a piece you performed with your school

    • Sight-reading

  • Timpani

    • A solo or piece of your choosing that fully demonstrates your finest playing, such as a piece you are working on in lessons or a piece you performed with your school

    • Sight-reading

  • Marimba/Xylophone

    • A solo or piece of your choosing that fully demonstrates your finest playing, such as a piece you are working on in lessons or a piece you performed with your school

    • Major scales and arpeggios up to four flats and sharps

    • Melodic minor scales and arpeggios up to four sharps and flats

    • Sight-reading

String Academy

Audition requirements for Intermezzo

• A solo or piece of your choosing that fully demonstrates your finest playing, such as a piece you are working on in lessons or a piece you performed with your school

• Major scales (Two octaves; C, G, D, F, and B flat)

• Sight-reading

Audition requirements for Overture Strings

• A solo or piece of your choosing that fully demonstrates your finest playing, such as a piece you are working on in lessons or a piece you performed with your school

• Major scales (One octave; C, G, D, F, and B flat)

• Sight-reading

Audition requirements for Prelude Strings

• Auditions are not required for Prelude Strings. Call Maura Pelinsky at 814.474.9614 to register.

Performances

OCtober 6 · Symphony orchestra performance with mercyhurst civic orchestra

Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center · Time TBD

November 17 · Symphony Orchestra Winter concert

Strong Vincent Middle School · 4:00PM

december 4 · chamber orchestra and ensembles winter concert

Strong Vincent Middle School · 7:00PM

May 2 · Symphony Orchestra Spring Concert

Strong Vincent Middle School · 4:00PM

May 7 · Chamber Orchestra and Ensembles Spring Concert

Strong Vincent Middle School · 7:00PM

Ensembles

Symphony Orchestra

6:30-9:00pm

Comprised of the most advanced and experienced student musicians in the Northwest Pennsylvania, Northeast Ohio, and Western New York regions, the Symphony Orchestra is the premier ensemble of the Junior Philharmonic. They perform challenging orchestra repertoire in 3-5 performances each season. Artistic Director and Conductor Jonathan Moser conducts, and members of the Erie Philharmonic provide coaching.

Chamber Orchestra

6:45-8:45 PM

Preparing young musicians with the skills needed to join the Symphony Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra intensively trains players in the string, woodwind, brass, and percussion sections as distinct ensembles that are then joined together as a complete orchestra. The full orchestra performs twice a year with additional performances of each ensemble. Each section has its own coach, and Carolyn Borland conducts the full orchestra.

String Academy

Intermezzo Strings

5:00-6:30 PM

The stepping stone to the Chamber Orchestra! Proficiency and technical abilities are refined through this small string ensemble that requires a minimum of 2-4 years of playing experience. The group perform twice each season, with Jennifer Jansen, Erie Philharmonic violinist, coaching and conducting the ensemble. 

Overture Strings

5:15-6:30 PM

Our second level ensemble is for novice students with 1-3 years of experience. Through focusing on beginning repertoire, students are able to further learn rehearsal technique, ensemble and performance skills. The group performs twice a season, and coach Mary Moser leads this ensemble.

Prelude Strings

5:15-6:15 PM

No experience required!  This teaching group provides new students that are just starting to become inspired on their violin, viola, cello or bass! Students learn basic playing technique, music theory and ensemble skills. This ensemble performs twice per season. Coach Mary Moser leads this ensemble.

All rehearsals are held Tuesday evenings from August to May at Strong Vincent Middle School.

Junior Philharmonic Staff

Jim Wertz, Erie Philharmonic Vice President, Education

Erin Wincek, Steering Committee Chair

Jonathan Moser, Artistic Director and Conductor

Maura Pelinsky, Business Manager & Librarian

Megan Kelly, Erie Philharmonic Community Programs Manager

Lisa Herring, Erie Philharmonic Director of Marketing and Development

Noel Burgoyne, Steering Committee Chair Emeritus

Robert Dolwick, Artistic Director Emeritus

Janet Preston, Steering Committee Member

Julie Lewis, Steering Committee Member

Contacts

Erie Junior Philharmonic Office
23 West 10th Street, Suite 3
Erie, PA 16501
(814) 455-1375 ext. 24 (phone)
(814) 455-1377 (fax)

Erie Philharmonic Community Programs Manager
Megan Kelly
megan@eriephil.org

Business Manager/Audition Information
Maura Pelinsky
fiddlemo@msn.com

The Erie Junior Philharmonic Orchestra relies on private and corporate donations to cover operating expenses.

Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated.