Darryl Bayer of The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra — Maestro’s Music in The Woods.
“This is the gift of a lifetime—for a child to perform alongside professional adult musicians.”
We are lucky. Darryl Bayer, Artistic Director of The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra (“WSO”), is conducting exquisite music to inspire the next generation of classical musicians and classical music fans. He is keeping orchestral music traditions alive by infusing it with his own secret sauce of innovative programming, like his recent smash hit concert, “Guitar Heroes” that had fans of all kinds of music dancing and singing to orchestral musical beats.
Bayer’s 60-member WSO is made up of two groups: The Woodlands Symphony (“WS”), a group of professional musicians who share a talent and passion for classical music, and, The Woodlands Area Youth Symphony (“WAYS)”, comprised of children ages 12-21, who rehearse and perform concerts side-by-side with members of WS.
“WAYS is the next-gen of Woodlands Symphony Orchestra members,” smiles Bayer. “I’m exposing these talented children to as many genres of music as possible in as many settings as possible. This is the gift of a lifetime—for a child to perform alongside professional adult musicians.”
The idea for WAYS comes from Bayer’s years of pre-teen and teen membership in Boston’s acclaimed Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, music courses completed at The New England Conservatory and jazz improvisation studies at the Berklee College of Music. Years later, Bayer earned his Bachelor of Arts from Boston University School of Music and studied chamber music with The Empire Brass, a leading Brass Quintet. Additionally, he studied Music Conducting with Thomas Dunn from The Haydn and Handel Society and Trumpet with Charlie Lewis and Roger Voison. Furthermore, he was awarded a Master’s in Music from The University of Houston in Applied Trumpet, having been mentored by The Houston Symphony’s legendary Principal Trumpeter, James Austin. Bayer’s music career highlights include celebrated invitations to perform as a Trumpet Soloist with The Boston Symphony, Boston Pops and Esplanade Pops.
While WSO does not yet have a permanent home, Bayer is grateful for the generosity of Lone Star College–Montgomery (where he is the Orchestra Professor) as well as area churches for offering both concert and rehearsal space.
Later this month, Bayer and WSO will perform a 4-part Chamber Music Concert Series at The Glade Arts Foundation. These are the only orchestral chamber concerts playing in town (and quickly proving to be a coveted holiday gift item!)
The first performance, “Famous Composers,” will took place on September 20th,
“Music Macabre and More” will take place October 18th, “Jazz in the Woods” on November 15th and “Holiday Party with WSO Brass” on December 20th.
Known in the arts community as “The Hometown Hero of Music,” Bayer is affectionately threatening to get the whole community engaged in classical music as his phenomenol local orchestra grows both larger and louder.
To learn more about Darryl Bayer and his Woodlands Symphony Orchestra, visit www.woodlandssymphony.org. To purchase tickets to The Woodlands Symphony Orchestra’s 4-part Chamber Music Series at The Glade Arts Foundation, visit www.gladeartsfoundation.org.
