MCYO audtions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCYO is a very cutthroat and toxic environment, my daughter is in young Artist, she has been there for the past three years. The auditions seems inclusive and make it look like they accept people of all races, but they only pick Asians (really Chinese) to play for their orchestra. It’s terribly one sided, quite obvious, initially jarring and totally unfair in my opinion and I AM Chinese. The student violinist are very competitive and clique and don’t like new people joining. The clique groups are made up of kids who have been in mcyo for the past five years. I don’t want to discourage you from auditioning…but just wanted you to be aware of the MCYO culture.

My DC is white and that has not been our experience at all. Yes, a large majority of the young musicians are Asian-American, but certainly not all and MCYO doesn't "only pick Asians" to play in the orchestras. DC's experience has been very positive and MCYO certainly helped him to feel inspired to achieve a high level of performance with his instrument that he would not have gotten elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCYO is a very cutthroat and toxic environment, my daughter is in young Artist, she has been there for the past three years. The auditions seems inclusive and make it look like they accept people of all races, but they only pick Asians (really Chinese) to play for their orchestra. It’s terribly one sided, quite obvious, initially jarring and totally unfair in my opinion and I AM Chinese. The student violinist are very competitive and clique and don’t like new people joining. The clique groups are made up of kids who have been in mcyo for the past five years. I don’t want to discourage you from auditioning…but just wanted you to be aware of the MCYO culture.

Do they do a blind audition from the other side of a curtain? I thought blind auditions were pretty standard.

No, unfortunately they do not.

That’s true, it is not blind auditions, this way mcyo can control the narrative and cherry pick who they would like to be in the orchestra

[Anonymous]

Good lord, some people are really bitter. There are more Asians in the orchestra because classical music is more valued in Asian American families and so the kids tend to be more dedicated. If you do string or piano competitions you also notice that most winners are Asian. That is not due to racism. Almost all the competitors are Asian. A non Asian kid is not going to be discriminated against and if they are good, they will do very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCYO is a very cutthroat and toxic environment, my daughter is in young Artist, she has been there for the past three years. The auditions seems inclusive and make it look like they accept people of all races, but they only pick Asians (really Chinese) to play for their orchestra. It’s terribly one sided, quite obvious, initially jarring and totally unfair in my opinion and I AM Chinese. The student violinist are very competitive and clique and don’t like new people joining. The clique groups are made up of kids who have been in mcyo for the past five years. I don’t want to discourage you from auditioning…but just wanted you to be aware of the MCYO culture.

Do they do a blind audition from the other side of a curtain? I thought blind auditions were pretty standard.

No, unfortunately they do not.

That’s true, it is not blind auditions, this way mcyo can control the narrative and cherry pick who they would like to be in the orchestra

Why wouldn't it be blinded? Given everything we know about implicit bias, that seems like such a smart and easy change. I'm not in moco but my kids audition for our local honors orchestra was blinded. Also isn't that standard for adult auditions? If so, why not get kids used to that now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good lord, some people are really bitter. There are more Asians in the orchestra because classical music is more valued in Asian American families and so the kids tend to be more dedicated. If you do string or piano competitions you also notice that most winners are Asian. That is not due to racism. Almost all the competitors are Asian. A non Asian kid is not going to be discriminated against and if they are good, they will do very well.

It is more valued in the Asian community, that is true; but MCYO also picks Asian Americans because they will get the highest awards and that makes mcyo look like a great organization with great teaching skills, when in fact it’s got nothing to do with their teaching style and everything to do with just the dedication and hardwork of the players.

[Anonymous]

My wind player had a blind audition for MCYO this past summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCYO is a very cutthroat and toxic environment, my daughter is in young Artist, she has been there for the past three years. The auditions seems inclusive and make it look like they accept people of all races, but they only pick Asians (really Chinese) to play for their orchestra. It’s terribly one sided, quite obvious, initially jarring and totally unfair in my opinion and I AM Chinese. The student violinist are very competitive and clique and don’t like new people joining. The clique groups are made up of kids who have been in mcyo for the past five years. I don’t want to discourage you from auditioning…but just wanted you to be aware of the MCYO culture.

Do they do a blind audition from the other side of a curtain? I thought blind auditions were pretty standard.

No, unfortunately they do not.

That’s true, it is not blind auditions, this way mcyo can control the narrative and cherry pick who they would like to be in the orchestra

Why wouldn't it be blinded? Given everything we know about implicit bias, that seems like such a smart and easy change. I'm not in moco but my kids audition for our local honors orchestra was blinded. Also isn't that standard for adult auditions? If so, why not get kids used to that now?

You would think so, right? However, My child tried out for mcyo violin last summer in 2022 and it was not a blind audition by any means. They gave their audition paper (with their first and last name on it )directly to the judge and chatted briefly face to face.

[Anonymous]

Do any of the local YO have blind auditions? DD is in a less intense YO by choice, and their auditions were by video, which had name in it. The chair auditions were blind, however.

[Anonymous]

Just curious: is the experience different for string players vs. wind/brass? My kid plays a brass instrument, and over the years I’ve noticed far fewer Asian musicians in the school “band” ensembles than in the “orchestras.”

They’re now playing in a non-MCYO symphonic (combined) orchestra, and I still notice the preponderance of Asian strings players over other instruments. I wonder if that could account for the differing experiences with MCYO? The early seriousness of the Suzuki method is appealing to families who really value serious musical education, but there’s not really anything comparable for, say, aspiring 6yo French horn players.

[Anonymous]

It may be a combination of things but price wise it rules out a lot of kids between better instruments, private lessons, MCYO, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCYO is a very cutthroat and toxic environment, my daughter is in young Artist, she has been there for the past three years. The auditions seems inclusive and make it look like they accept people of all races, but they only pick Asians (really Chinese) to play for their orchestra. It’s terribly one sided, quite obvious, initially jarring and totally unfair in my opinion and I AM Chinese. The student violinist are very competitive and clique and don’t like new people joining. The clique groups are made up of kids who have been in mcyo for the past five years. I don’t want to discourage you from auditioning…but just wanted you to be aware of the MCYO culture.

My daughter is one of the concertmasters of YA this year and she has made friends with all her seatmates. In fact, my daughter, who is NOT Chinese, has been part of three orchestras in MCYO - Prep Strings, Chamber Strings and YA - and has consistently loved the experience. The two conductors Mr. Orozco and Mrs. Poling are amusing and engaging and are excellent at their job.

In all the years we've been part of this organization, I can guarantee that there has been no toxicity and nothing has been cutthroat. The conductors go to great lengths to share the top seats, every year. They do not offer solos, or very short ones, because again, their goal is to have students play together, instead of giving more limelight to the more talented students.

People have the wrong idea about MCYO because they are racist - they see it has a majority of Asian students; and because parents don't understand how something that is audition-based and high level could not be cut-throat. But it's not. Once you're in, there is no cutthroat. And if don't get in, you can always audition the following year. During the audition, it's the best players who get in, regardless of ethnicity. Surely that's how it should be! Don't you want kids to be rewarded for their hard work? My daughter has worked VERY hard for years to play at the level she does. She and all the other students who work hard deserve to be there.

Do you know why it seems you always see the same kids every year? It's because they love it, and want to return, and have the level to be accepted back every year. There is no other orchestra they could apply to that has that level of play. They cannot go anywhere else. And yet MCYO makes them audition anyway, because they want to make sure they are being fair.

It's disheartening to see posters such as the one above dragging the good name of MCYO through the mud.

[Anonymous]

Wow. Some seriously jealous people on here.

Are you also on the Sports forums whining about how Coach doesn't give your Snowflake playing time?

I don't think you're going to persuade others that MCYO is anything other than a stellar organization, just like AYPO. It's had that stellar reputation since before your kids were born. You can try to trash it all you want, you'll just reveal yourselves to be the losers you are, my poor dears.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good lord, some people are really bitter. There are more Asians in the orchestra because classical music is more valued in Asian American families and so the kids tend to be more dedicated. If you do string or piano competitions you also notice that most winners are Asian. That is not due to racism. Almost all the competitors are Asian. A non Asian kid is not going to be discriminated against and if they are good, they will do very well.

It is more valued in the Asian community, that is true; but MCYO also picks Asian Americans because they will get the highest awards and that makes mcyo look like a great organization with great teaching skills, when in fact it’s got nothing to do with their teaching style and everything to do with just the dedication and hardwork of the players.

Youth Orchestras are not really there to teach kids how to play...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCYO is a very cutthroat and toxic environment, my daughter is in young Artist, she has been there for the past three years. The auditions seems inclusive and make it look like they accept people of all races, but they only pick Asians (really Chinese) to play for their orchestra. It’s terribly one sided, quite obvious, initially jarring and totally unfair in my opinion and I AM Chinese. The student violinist are very competitive and clique and don’t like new people joining. The clique groups are made up of kids who have been in mcyo for the past five years. I don’t want to discourage you from auditioning…but just wanted you to be aware of the MCYO culture.

My daughter is one of the concertmasters of YA this year and she has made friends with all her seatmates. In fact, my daughter, who is NOT Chinese, has been part of three orchestras in MCYO - Prep Strings, Chamber Strings and YA - and has consistently loved the experience. The two conductors Mr. Orozco and Mrs. Poling are amusing and engaging and are excellent at their job.

In all the years we've been part of this organization, I can guarantee that there has been no toxicity and nothing has been cutthroat. The conductors go to great lengths to share the top seats, every year. They do not offer solos, or very short ones, because again, their goal is to have students play together, instead of giving more limelight to the more talented students.

People have the wrong idea about MCYO because they are racist - they see it has a majority of Asian students; and because parents don't understand how something that is audition-based and high level could not be cut-throat. But it's not. Once you're in, there is no cutthroat. And if don't get in, you can always audition the following year. During the audition, it's the best players who get in, regardless of ethnicity. Surely that's how it should be! Don't you want kids to be rewarded for their hard work? My daughter has worked VERY hard for years to play at the level she does. She and all the other students who work hard deserve to be there.

Do you know why it seems you always see the same kids every year? It's because they love it, and want to return, and have the level to be accepted back every year. There is no other orchestra they could apply to that has that level of play. They cannot go anywhere else. And yet MCYO makes them audition anyway, because they want to make sure they are being fair.

That’s called optics, dear!

It's disheartening to see posters such as the one above dragging the good name of MCYO through the mud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCYO is a very cutthroat and toxic environment, my daughter is in young Artist, she has been there for the past three years. The auditions seems inclusive and make it look like they accept people of all races, but they only pick Asians (really Chinese) to play for their orchestra. It’s terribly one sided, quite obvious, initially jarring and totally unfair in my opinion and I AM Chinese. The student violinist are very competitive and clique and don’t like new people joining. The clique groups are made up of kids who have been in mcyo for the past five years. I don’t want to discourage you from auditioning…but just wanted you to be aware of the MCYO culture.

My daughter is one of the concertmasters of YA this year and she has made friends with all her seatmates. In fact, my daughter, who is NOT Chinese, has been part of three orchestras in MCYO - Prep Strings, Chamber Strings and YA - and has consistently loved the experience. The two conductors Mr. Orozco and Mrs. Poling are amusing and engaging and are excellent at their job.

In all the years we've been part of this organization, I can guarantee that there has been no toxicity and nothing has been cutthroat. The conductors go to great lengths to share the top seats, every year. They do not offer solos, or very short ones, because again, their goal is to have students play together, instead of giving more limelight to the more talented students.

People have the wrong idea about MCYO because they are racist - they see it has a majority of Asian students; and because parents don't understand how something that is audition-based and high level could not be cut-throat. But it's not. Once you're in, there is no cutthroat. And if don't get in, you can always audition the following year. During the audition, it's the best players who get in, regardless of ethnicity. Surely that's how it should be! Don't you want kids to be rewarded for their hard work? My daughter has worked VERY hard for years to play at the level she does. She and all the other students who work hard deserve to be there.

Do you know why it seems you always see the same kids every year? It's because they love it, and want to return, and have the level to be accepted back every year. There is no other orchestra they could apply to that has that level of play. They cannot go anywhere else. And yet MCYO makes them audition anyway, because they want to make sure they are being fair.

It's disheartening to see posters such as the one above dragging the good name of MCYO through the mud.

If they want to be fair…shouldn’t they do blind auditions?