Learn about not one, but TWO amazing things in this episode: 

  1. The Houston Youth Symphony, an organization that’s been making music an important part of young peoples’ lives for 70 years, and
  2. “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” the symphonic poem written by the French composer Paul Dukas that Walt Disney brought to the masses in the movie Fantasia

Michael Webster, artistic director and conductor of the Houston Youth Symphony, and HYS bassoonist Derek Marcum play examples and take us through the entire magical piece. If you’re in Houston, you can catch Michael, Derek, and the rest of the Houston Youth Symphony playing Beethoven’s 9th to mark their 70th anniversary on November 13th. Learn more here.

Music in this episode:

  • “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” by Paul Dukas, performed by the Houston Youth Symphony
  • Clarinet examples by Michael Webster
  • Bassoon examples by Derek Marcum

Audio production for this episode by Mark “Guardian of the Mixing Board” DiClaudio and Todd “Groot” Hulslander with witty comebacks by Dacia Clay.