Performing Groups

Group of women and a man playing flutes during a musical performance in an indoor setting decorated with flowers.

Youth Symphony

The New River Youth Symphony is conducted by William Bailey, and he chooses concert literature from the great composers, like Brahms, Copland, Rimski-Korsakov, Tchaikovsky, and Verdi.  Occasionally, a jazz piece is on the program, and at the December concert, there are usually several holiday favorites.

The Symphony students are a mixture of public school, private school, and homeschooled students from various counties in Southern West Virginia.  They all share a love of music and performing together.  Since this is a full orchestra, woodwinds, brass, and percussion students are welcome, as well as those who play violin, viola, cello, or bass.

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Youth Chorus

The New River Youth Chorus is a fantastic place to sing with other young people, to learn how to blend, how to harmonize, and how to sing in a choir.  The students enjoy the beat of ethnic music from around the world with djembes, maracas, and other African / Latin instruments accompanying.  Sometimes a violin or flute will interweave with the voices for a ballad or holiday song.  Some of the pieces are sung in other languages, like French or Swahili.

Youth Chorus is an excellent place for students to develop their vocal technique and to experience the camaraderie of a group who enjoy performing together.

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Children's Chorus

The Children's Chorus is a starter door into the New River Youth Chorus.  As students learn to sing in a group and work together, they will graduate to the older group.  The Children's Chorus is designed to be fun and friendly to younger ages.  Songs with sign language are often included in the program.

Because Kathie Kiser, our Children's Chorus director, is not available to teach the children this season, Fall 2026, we will not have a Children's Chorus.

A young boy with glasses playing a violin in a music classroom.

Emerging Strings

The Emerging Strings is a performing group for young strings players to learn to play together in a group setting. The students play a variety of string instruments - violin, viola, cello, bass. The students should have private lessons prior to joining Emerging Strings, and their private teacher will know when they are ready to learn to play in a group. The director of the Emerging Strings is Perri Kiser.

The beginner-level students learn how to perform easy, yet lively and fun, arrangements for string orchestra.

Audition Music

Audition Music can be downloaded here