Seniors Orchestral Society of New York

To create a resident community orchestra in which accomplished senior citizens come together with their peers to study, learn and rehearse the classical music repertoire, and to make classical music available to as wide an audience as possible through the presentation of free concerts in public spaces, thereby enriching New York City's cultural life. Goals: Engage seniors citizens in becoming participants in the cultural fabric of New York City. Develop new audiences for the future by bringing classical music to those who might not otherwise find their way in the formal setting of a concert hall. Establish an annual series of four seasonal concerts at unique locations throughout New York City. Provide a showcase for gifted soloists in the Greater New York area including both emerging and established artists. Collaborate with established choral groups throughout the city.

Founder and Music Director, Elliot Levioff Ed.D

Elliot Levioff is the Founder and Music Director of the Seniors Orchestral Society of New York (SOSNY).

After several summers attending the master classes of Pierre Monteux, Dr. Levioff continued his conducting studies at the Julliard School with Jean Morel. He enrolled in Columbia University on a full tuition scholarship where he received his bachelor’s degree in music and was the first undergraduate to be appointed Assistant Conductor of the University Orchestra. Later, he earned his doctorate in music and music education from Teacher’s College; his doctoral thesis was entitled A Guide for Teaching the Fundamentals of Score-Reading through Music Literature (1972).

Dr. Levioff and his family moved to Philadelphia in 1975, where he taught music and was the choral conductor in the music magnet program at Overbrook High School until 1994. After retiring from the Philadelphia Public School system, Dr. Levioff taught at the Settlement Music School and later taught courses in harmony, solfege and music fundamentals at The Community College of Philadelphia from 2000-2005. He authored the course-specific book: The Fundamentals of Music (2000). During his time in Philadelphia, Dr. Levioff was also the conductor of one of the region’s more noteworthy community orchestras: The Merion Musical Society Symphony Orchestra (1978-1985) which later became The Lower Merion Symphony (1993-2005). In addition, from 1981-1989, he founded and was the conductor of The Philadelphia Promenade Orchestra; a 60-piece professional orchestra which gave free concerts in the area.

He and his wife moved back to New York in 2006 where the couple’s younger daughter also lives; their elder daughter resides in Annapolis, MD. Dr. Levioff’s commitment to share the magic of music gave impetus to the idea of the Seniors Orchestral Society of New York.

Associate Conductor, Michael Haigler

Conductor Michael C. Haigler has served as Music Director at Christ Church since 2005, and also holds positions as Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor of the Bronx Opera Company, Associate Conductor of the Seniors Orchestral Society of New York, and Music Director of Festival 56, a summer theater festival in Princeton, Illinois. A native of Atlanta, he graduated magna cum laude from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and moved to New York City in 2001.

In the years since he has been active in opera, conducting productions with Brooklyn Opera, Riverside Opera (Staten Island), The New York Metro Vocal Arts Ensemble (NYC), and the Lehman College Drama Department (Bronx). Other recent credits include the Atlanta Opera Studio (GA), Sarasota Opera (FL), the Sarasota Pops Orchestra, Knoxville Opera (TN), and Virginia Opera. Recent productions include Hansel and Gretel, Don Pasquale, Auber’s Fra Diavolo, Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In 2001 Mr. Haigler was honored to be chosen as one of eight conductors out of over 350 applicants as a finalist in Lorin Maazel’s international conducting competition.

Also an active composer, he has received commissions from the Goliard Chamber Ensemble (Queens), the Yale University Bluedogs (CT), and Irving Park Lutheran Church in Chicago. Mr. Haigler also writes the music column for Synthesis, a monthly liturgical publication for clergy and church musicians, serving as its hymnody editor since 2008.

Fall Concert Soloist, Randall Goosby, Violin

At sixteen, violinist Randall Goosby is already appearing with major orchestras across the United States including, the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, New World Symphony (Miami), Memphis Symphony and Buffalo Philharmonic among others. He has also made two solo appearances at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium.

Randall also appeared live on WNED Classical Radio Toronto/Buffalo prior to his performance with the Buffalo Philharmonic. He was also featured on a live radio broadcast for National Public Radio’s "From the Top" program which features performances and captivating stories of extraordinary young classical musicians.

"Randall Goosby, exerted a masterly level of control and lavished an exquisite tone on Ysaÿe’s unaccompanied Sonata No. 3" commented The New York Times about Randall’s 2010 debut at the Isaac Stern Auditorium of Carnegie Hall, also adding that "his performance won him a deserved standing ovation for its sheer virtuosity."

Randall’s Junior Division victory at the 13th Annual Sphinx Competition in Detroit in 2010 instantly led to a special invitation by the New York Philharmonic to appear at their prestigious Young People’s Concert series at the Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center) and to an official invitation by Tony Nominated actor Delroy Lindo, to perform at the 18th Annual MOVIEGUIDE® Faith & Values Awards Gala in Beverly Hills, CA.

In addition to winning the Sphinx Competition, Randall won Grand Prize honors at the Mid-South Fair's Youth Talent Competition, Young Artists Concerto Competition at the Conservatory Music in the Mountains (Durango, CO) and was a winner of the Memphis Youth Symphony’s Concerto Competition and Germantown Symphony’s Young Artist Concerto Competition. Randall began playing violin at the age of 7, made his first public performance the age of 8 and made his orchestral debut with the Jacksonville Symphony (Florida) at the age of 9. He has attended Mark O’Connor’s Music Camps in New York and San Diego, the Schlern International Music Festival (Italy), the New Conservatory Music in the Mountains Festival (Durango, CO) the Bowdoin International Music Festival (Brunswick, Maine) and the Perlman Music Program in Long Island, New York.

Randall is an 11th grade student in Memphis, TN where he enjoys Math, Science and French. He currently studies violin with Itzhak Perlman and Catherine Cho at Juilliard’s Pre-College program in New York where he commutes weekly from Memphis. He previously studied violin with the Grammy nominated violinist, Philippe Quint.

Randall is enjoying a generous loan of a magnificent Giovanni Paolo Maggini violin (c. 1590) from the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

Spring Concert Soloist, Tynan Davis, Mezzo-Soprano

"The young mezzo Tynan Davis sang beautifully, an eye should be kept on her!"
- Karina Freudenthal, newyorkarts.net

San Antonio-native Tynan Davis has been described as a dynamic and radiant performer. She recently made her Bel Canto at Caramoor debut as Cousin Hebe in Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore with The Orchestra of St. Luke's under the baton of Will Crutchfield. Other operatic and concert credits include: Mahler 2nd Symphony and Beethoven 9th Symphony with the Festival Orchestra of Christ Church Oyster Bay, the title role in Carmen and Bach's Cantata 82 with the Rapides Symphony Orchestra, and Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte and Ado Annie in Oklahoma! with the Natchez Festival of Music. Ms. Davis was a finalist in the 2010 Liederkranz Competition and a semi-finalist in both the 2010 Palm Beach Opera and Joy in Singing competitions.

She is an alumna of The Children's Chorus of San Antonio and Stephen F. Austin State University.

Spanish Spectacular! Soloist, Nicolas Ortega, Violin

Nicolas is currently a student at Mannes School of Music Preparatory Division. He studies violin under Ana Milosavljevic since 2010. Nicolas was born in Caracas,Venezuela in March of 2000. When he was 5, he was selected to study the violin while attending "Colegio Emil Friedman". There, Nicolas studied under Victor Mata and Alfonso Lopez. At 7, he won the Friedman’s Violin competition (junior category) and played with the orchestra Virtuosi de Caracas. At "Colegio Emil Friedman", Nicolas progressed through the different school orchestras, always among the first violins.

In the summer of 2009, Nicolas attended Interlochen Center for the Arts. He participated in The Advanced Junior String Program for 6 weeks. In July 2012, Nicolas went to Interlochen again for 3 weeks, as part of their Intermediate String Program. In 2008, Nicolas was accepted at the "Academia Latinoamericana de Violin" (Caracas, Venezuela; associated to El Sistema), where he studied under Sergio Celis.

The Ortega family moved to the United States during the summer of 2010. Nicolas lives in Westport, CT. He is an eighth grader at Coleytown Middle School (CMS). He is part of CMS’ 8th grade orchestra and the Chamber Ensemble. Nicolas is also a competitive swimmer with the Westport-Weston Y Water Rats. On Saturdays, he attends Mannes Preparatory Division. He is part of the Philharmonic Orchestra, and also plays in Chamber groups.

2014 Spring Concert Soloist, Arielle Levioff, Piano

Arielle Levioff has established herself as a unique and versatile artist, in demand both as a soloist and collaborative pianist. She has appeared as a soloist in some of New York City's most prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Hall and Alice Tully Hall; performed at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, the French Embassy in Washington D.C., and abroad in London, France and Italy. Ms. Levioff's concerto engagements include the Lower Merion Symphony (Gladwyn, PA), the Goliard Chamber Orchestra (Queens, NY), the Astoria Symphony (Astoria, NY) and the Christ Church Festival Orchestra (Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY).

From 1999 to 2009 Ms. Levioff was the principal pianist of Goliard Concerts, an organization dedicated to community outreach and the commissioning of new ensemble works by young composers. Starting in 2005 she served as Goliard’s artistic director, overseeing several tours of the Southeastern United States with performance sites in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North & South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Ms. Levioff was a finalist in the 2009 Sorel Medallion Competition in Collaborative Piano and in July 2010 was invited by the Sorel Foundation to join the coaching staff at the Daniel Ferro Vocal Festival in Tuscany. She has also appeared as a guest artist with the Queens Oratorio Society and performs regularly with the Ridotto Chamber Ensemble. In November 2011 she made her debut at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium in the inaugural concert of the newly formed New York Women's Ensemble. Her playing was described as "elegant" by Steve Smith, music critic for the New York Times.

Ms. Levioff grew up in Philadelphia and began playing the piano at age 5. She studied at the Bryn Mawr Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Ms. Nelly Berman and later went on to study at Juilliard School in the pre-college division. During her younger years at the piano, Ms. Levioff was a finalist and prize-winner in several competitions including Temple University’s Concerto Competition, the Queens Symphony Concerto Competition, and Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia.

Ms. Levioff received her Bachelor's and Master’s degrees from the Manhattan School of Music and has attended prestigious summer festivals including the Tanglewood Institute, the Cleveland Orchestra's Kent/Blossom Festival and the American Conservatory in Fontainebleau, France. Among her teachers were Phillip Kawin, Kenneth Cooper, Joela Jones, Philippe Bianconi, Philippe Entremont and the late Gaby Casadesus. She has served on the piano faculty of the 92nd Street Y School of Music in Manhattan since 2005 and maintains a private teaching studio. She is also music director of the Point Counterpoint Adult Chamber Music program in Brandon, Vermont.

We are always looking for generous people to assist us in our mission and to help engage seniors by providing them with opportunities to become active participants in the cultural life of New York City.

If you would like to volunteer for SOSNY, please send an email to: volunteer@sos-nyc.org.

Thank you!

No organization can function without quality and committed people. While the phrase “thank you” cannot convey the depth of our gratitude to these particular individuals/organizations, without whom the launch of SOSNY could not have taken place, we hope it will suffice.

To that end, we would like to thank:

We are currently holding auditions for the Seniors Orchestral Society of New York!

Auditions will be for advanced players only, minimum age 60, non-professional and professional, active or retired.

(Please note: The word "advanced" is not to be interpreted as fixed and inflexible. It is used to describe a range of instrumental competence. All prospective players should carefully examine the orchestral excerpts. Any instrumentalist who believes he/she can play the excerpts accurately and competently is strongly urged to arrange an audition.)

Auditions for all instruments will be held on Mondays (2:00pm-7:00pm), Thursdays (11:00am-2:00pm), Fridays (11:00am-3:00pm) and Saturdays (10:00am-1:00pm) starting in February, 2016. All auditions will be held in Washington Heights, NYC.

For the auditions, all candidates will:

1. Play one page of a prepared solo piece or concerto of choice that clearly demonstrates required advanced technical skill.
2. Be prepared to play any three of the four excerpts listed under each instrument,
   including one fast and one slow.
3. Sight-read a brief excerpt.

* = Open positions available in that section!

To arrange for an audition fill out the form below (* = required):

First name:*
Last name:*
Email address:*
Phone Number:
Instrument:*	Flute Oboe Clarinet Bassoon French Horn Trumpet Trombone Bass Trombone Tuba Timpani Percussion Harp Violin Viola Cello Bass
Preferred Date #1:*	11:00 AM 11:15 AM 11:30 AM 11:45 AM 12:00 PM 12:15 PM 12:30 PM 12:45 PM 1:00 PM 1:15 PM 1:30 PM 1:45 PM 2:00 PM 2:15 PM 2:30 PM 2:45 PM 3:00 PM 3:15 PM 3:30 PM 3:45 PM 4:00 PM 4:15 PM 4:30 PM 4:45 PM 5:00 PM 5:15 PM 5:30 PM 5:45 PM 6:00 PM 6:15 PM 6:30 PM 6:45 PM 7:00 PM 7:15 PM 7:30 PM 7:45 PM
Preferred Date #2:*	11:00 AM 11:15 AM 11:30 AM 11:45 AM 12:00 PM 12:15 PM 12:30 PM 12:45 PM 1:00 PM 1:15 PM 1:30 PM 1:45 PM 2:00 PM 2:15 PM 2:30 PM 2:45 PM 3:00 PM 3:15 PM 3:30 PM 3:45 PM 4:00 PM 4:15 PM 4:30 PM 4:45 PM 5:00 PM 5:15 PM 5:30 PM 5:45 PM 6:00 PM 6:15 PM 6:30 PM 6:45 PM 7:00 PM 7:15 PM 7:30 PM 7:45 PM
Preferred Date #3:*	11:00 AM 11:15 AM 11:30 AM 11:45 AM 12:00 PM 12:15 PM 12:30 PM 12:45 PM 1:00 PM 1:15 PM 1:30 PM 1:45 PM 2:00 PM 2:15 PM 2:30 PM 2:45 PM 3:00 PM 3:15 PM 3:30 PM 3:45 PM 4:00 PM 4:15 PM 4:30 PM 4:45 PM 5:00 PM 5:15 PM 5:30 PM 5:45 PM 6:00 PM 6:15 PM 6:30 PM 6:45 PM 7:00 PM 7:15 PM 7:30 PM 7:45 PM
Please Note: If your instrument does not appear in the list, those seats are currently filled.

Flute Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3 (ms. 328 to 360) Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 (4th Mvt,. 8 bef. D to E) Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Scherzo) Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf (Nos. 2 to 4) Oboe Open positions! Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 (3rd Mvt., ms. 63 - 106) Tschaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 (2nd Mvt., first 21 bars) Borodin: Polovetzian Dances (2nd Dance, C to end) Prokofiev: Classical Symphony (2nd Mvt., H to end) Clarinet Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 (2nd Mvt., D to E) Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf (20 to 21) Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnole (1st Mvt., A to C ) Rachmaninov: Symphony No. 2 (3rd Mvt., beginning to 47) Bassoon Open positions! Berlioz: Symphony Fantastique (5th Mvt., 8 ms. after 63 to 4 ms. after 64) Mozart: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro (beg. to m 24 and ms. 156 to 171) Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps (beg. to 3 after 3) Tschaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 (2nd Mvt., last 31 bars)

French Horn Open positions! Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 (3rd Mvt., Trio [2nd Horn]) Brahms: Symphony No. 3 (3rd Mvt., F to 12 aft. G) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 (1st Mvt., 17 to 21) Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel (beg. to 1) Trumpet Moussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition (Promenade, beg. to 2) Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 (1st Mvt., 4 bef. 26 to 29) Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3 (Trumpet calls bef. E) Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (1st Mvt.) Trombone  (Note: Can be played on Tenor or Bass Trombone at player's choice.) Open positions! Berlioz: Rakoczy March (6 bef 4 to 5 [2nd trb]) Ravel: Bolero (10 to 11) Rossini: Overture to La Gazza Ladra (A to 3 bef. B; F to ms. 290) Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries (B major section) Strauss: Ein Heldenleben (ms. 60-65, [2nd trb]) Bass Trombone  (Note: Played on Tenor or Bass) Rossini: La Gazza Ladra (A to 3 bef. B; F to ms. 290) Wagner: Introduction to Act 3 of Lohengrin (B to C) Wagner: Overture to Tannhauser (Bar 37 to 53) Tuba Open position! Berlioz: Rokoczy March (4 to 5) Strauss: Till Eulenspiegel (37 to 38) Wagner: Overture to Die Meistersinger (J to L) Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries

Timpani Open position! Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 (1st Mvt., 20 bef. C to 2 aft. C and 4th Mvt., 18 bef. E to end) Elgar: Enigma Variations (Mvt. VII) Mahler: Symphony No. 7 (5th Mvt., beg. to 225 and 290 to end) Strauss: Burleske (beg. to A) Tschaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 (1st Mvt., T to U) (For Percussion Players): Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (1st Mvt., beg. to A and 18 bef. S to end) Elgar: Enigma Variations (Mvt. VII)

Percussion Open positions! Note: Instrumentalists should be prepared to play two selections of their own choice that clearly demonstrate their technical proficiency. Xylophone Glockenspiel Snare Drum Bass Drum Cymbals Tambourine Triangle

Harp Open positions! Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (2nd Mvt., "Un Bal") Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol (Cadenza to 4th Mvt.) Tschaikovsky: Waltz of the Flowers (Opening cadenza) Verdi: Overture to La Forza del Destino (G to H)

Violin Open positions! Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 (3rd Mvt., ms. 99 - 114) Brahms: Symphony No. 3 (1st Mvt., beg to B) Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 (1st Mvt., beg. to A) Prokofiev: Classical Symphony (1st Mvt., beg. to H) Viola Open positions! Beethoven: Symphony No.5 (2nd Mvt., beg. to C) Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture (1 to 4) Brahms: Haydn Variations (Vars. V & VII) Tschaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 (1st Mvt., Allegro non troppo to C) Cello Open positions! Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 (2nd Mvt., beg. to C) Mozart: Symphony No. 35 (1st Mvt., ms 75 to C; 4th Mvt., ms. 134-181) Tschaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 (2nd Mvt., 21 bef. A to A; 4th Mvt., 7 after G to end) Bass Open positions! Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 (3rd Mvt., beg. to 5 aft. A and Trio to 23 aft. B) Brahms: Symphony No. 2 (1st Mvt., E to F) Mozart: Symphony No. 35 (4th Mvt., ms. 134 to 181) Mozart: Symphony No. 39 (1st Mvt., ms. 13 to 21; ms. 40 to C)

Want to get a little taste of what SOSNY is all about?

Browse the videos contained in this part of the site to learn how we got started, and see our orchestra in action with a sampling of performances. To view our complete set of videos, please visit our YouTube Channel - SOSNY60

We encourage you to check out our photos (and like us) on our Facebook page (Seniors Orchestral Society of New York)

This series of videos provides a look behind the scenes of SOSNY, how the idea came to be
and what the founders of the orchestra hope to accomplish.

Spring Concert - NY Premiere of Beethoven 4th Piano Concerto - Revised Edition! - May 18, 2014

Fall Concert Spanish Spectacular! - October 19, 2013

Spring Opera Gala Concert – April 20, 2013

Winter Concert – January 19, 2013