In this special Youth Ensembles edition of Beyond the Music: Sharing the Heartbeat behind the Harmony, we’re spotlighting two dedicated young musicians who represent the energy, growth, and artistry of the Quad City Symphony Youth Ensembles. Violinists Malcolm Uhde of the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and Haven O’Brian of the Youth Symphony Orchestra share what concert day means to them, how they prepare for performances, and why being part of the QCSYE program has opened doors both musically and personally. From weekend rehearsals filled with focus and friendship to tackling masterworks like Tchaikovsky and Brahms, these students embody the joy and commitment that define our youth program. You can hear Malcolm, Haven, and their fellow musicians perform live this Sunday at the QCSYE Winter Concerts at Davenport Central High School — a celebration of hard work, collaboration, and the next generation of orchestral talent in the Quad Cities.
TRANSCRIPT | A Chat with Malcolm Uhde:
Brian Baxter:
All right, welcome to Beyond the Music. We’re glad to have you here. I’m here with one of our wonderful Youth Ensemble students. Do you mind telling us your name and your instrument?
Malcolm Uhde:
I’m Malcolm. I play violin.
Brian Baxter:
And what group of Youth Ensembles do you play in? How many years have you been in there?
Malcolm Uhde:
Right now I’m in Youth Philharmonic Orchestra. I’ve been playing in these ensembles for three years.
Brian Baxter:
Wow, three years. That’s great. So what excites you most about Youth Ensemble performance days and finally being in front of a live audience?
Malcolm Uhde:
Being in front of the live audience, I really like sharing what we’ve worked on and showing the audience what we can offer as musicians.
Brian Baxter:
That’s really cool. That’s great. And so obviously you have to practice a lot. What’s your preparation like for this?
Malcolm Uhde:
My preparation — I usually just work on it individually, by myself, work on what is difficult. And then when I’m with an actual orchestra, I like to listen to the other parts and see how my music fits into the other parts and blend it together.
Brian Baxter:
So what’s one thing you wish people knew about being a young musician?
Malcolm Uhde:
It’s really fun because you have a lot of opportunities as a kid. You can do the Youth Ensembles here and just a bunch of other things, like recitals and all this other stuff.
Brian Baxter:
And so you guys rehearse every weekend. What’s that energy like in rehearsals with your peers?
Malcolm Uhde:
The energy — it’s really fun to be with your friends. And also, the conductors are always really nice.
Brian Baxter:
Awesome, awesome. Okay, last question: what’s one of your favorite orchestra pieces? Do you have one?
Malcolm Uhde:
My favorite orchestra piece? No, I haven’t played that many orchestra pieces.
Brian Baxter:
You’re still getting into it.
Malcolm Uhde:
Out of all the ones that we’re playing — of all the ones I’ve ever played — my favorite is probably what I’m playing this concert, the Romeo and Juliet Overture by Tchaikovsky.
Brian Baxter:
Oh, that’s great. It’s wonderful, wonderful. Well, good luck today, and thanks for joining us on Beyond the Music.
Malcolm Uhde:
Yeah, you’re welcome.
TRANSCRIPT | A Chat with Haven O’Brian:
Brian Baxter:
All right, welcome to Beyond the Music. We’re glad to have you here. I’m here with another wonderful Youth Ensemble student. Do you mind sharing your name and instrument?
Haven O’Brian:
Hi. My name is Haven O’Brien, and I play the violin.
Brian Baxter:
Awesome. And so in the Youth Ensembles, what group do you play in? How many years have you been playing?
Haven O’Brian:
I play in the Youth Symphony Orchestra, and I’ve been in the program for about four years, and I’ve gone through every single level.
Brian Baxter:
Awesome. Wow. So what excites you most about concert day, when you’re finally in front of a live audience?
Haven O’Brian:
I just think that after all that hard work you’ve put in, and really playing together as a group and hearing all the different parts — I think that’s what really excites me the most, just hearing the final product after all of our preparation.
Brian Baxter:
That’s awesome. Yeah, it’s like you’re doing something bigger than the simple parts, right? So you talked about all the hard work — there’s a lot of preparation that goes into this. So what’s that like?
Haven O’Brian:
Well, it takes a lot of hard work, like I said, and it just takes dedication. You have to have the stamina to play through. The roughest times are definitely sight-reading — sight-reading through the pieces. And then you go in, you see the hardest pieces, and you work through the difficult parts slowly. You don’t want to do it too quickly and jump into it. So it takes a lot of commitment.
Brian Baxter:
Yeah. So what’s one thing you wish more people knew about being a young musician — the life that you lead?
Haven O’Brian:
It really opens up a lot of opportunities. Currently, I get to play in a lot of other smaller chamber groups, and I think it’s really fun to share our joy with the community.
Brian Baxter:
That’s wonderful, awesome. So what’s the energy like in rehearsals? You guys are rehearsing weekly. What’s that like?
Haven O’Brian:
Very positive. Very positive. Everyone’s having fun — kids are laughing — but at the same time, we’re focused. It’s just a good mix of good energy.
Brian Baxter:
That’s awesome. So last question: do you have a favorite orchestral work, and can you share it with us?
Haven O’Brian:
Well, if I had to think about it — right now we’re playing the Tragic Overture by Brahms, and I really like that piece because you really have to pull back and just be in the music. You have to — like our conductor says — be like an 80-year-old man and really play it slowly and just play very full.
Brian Baxter:
Oh, that’s a great answer. Thank you so much, and good luck on the concert today. Thank you for joining us.
Haven O’Brian:
Thank you.
Beyond the Music: Sharing the Heartbeat Behind the Harmony
Beyond the Music: Sharing the Heartbeat behind the Harmony takes you behind the scenes of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra to meet the musicians, staff, and community members who bring the music to life.
Through candid conversations and personal stories, this series explores the passion, people, and purpose that drive every performance, giving you a deeper connection to the symphony and the harmony it creates both on and off the stage.