YOEC parent Laurie Tarken speaks with Overture Strings Conductor Kimberly Syvertsen about how she became a conductor, what makes Overture Strings a great thing for kids and the three classical recordings she’d hope to have if she were shipwrecked.

What inspired you to pursue a career as a conductor?

I became a conductor sort of by accident. I’m a conservatory-trained violinist. My plan was to do a lot of violin teaching and a little playing. Halfway through graduate school, I took conducting lessons, because I was interested in how it would help my playing. A couple of positions opened up, I applied, and I have been conducting for five years now. It’s really cool that I’ve been blending my love of teaching and music.

What has surprised you about the job?

There’s a stereotype of a conductor being a dictator. I found it a really humbling experience. After working under a number of conductors, good, bad and everything in between, I have a musician’s perspective and understand all the work that goes into improving one’s playing.

What are you hoping the kids get out of their experience with YOEC?

Because it’s an early orchestra experience, I want them to enjoy it, and I hope it’s a stepping stone for continuing to explore music in the future. I also hope that they develop a certain professionalism. When I sit in my chair, I sit with proper posture, just as with any orchestral professional, when the stick goes up, I lift my bow, I know how to read what the conductor is saying, the phrasing, and the tempo. If they take that seriously, it will carry over as they work with other conductors in other orchestras.

What are your favorite pieces to conduct and why?

I just love music as long as the lyrics are clean. One of my favorite composers is Sir Edward Elgar, a British composer from the turn of the last century. I love the Elgar Serenade for Strings. Elgar’s music is very honest, and there’s a beautiful pastoral quality to the piece, evocative of the countryside.

How do you choose the pieces for your concerts?

Overture Strings is an unusual ensemble to pick music for, because the experience level is varied. I try to pick at least three selections, one of which will be really challenging on some level, either technically or blending different voices, then something that’s moderately difficult, and a selection that they can get right away. The beauty of varying levels is that the hard piece may not be the most polished piece, but it gives them the idea of something to aim for. The in-between piece meets them where they’re at and the easier selection may be deceiving, because they may get the notes and the beat, but the challenge is playing it in tune.  I try to include different periods of classical music—romantic, baroque, and a little more accessible music like pop or jazz or movie music.

How do you deal with differences in skill levels to keep things interesting for all of the musicians?

For different pieces, different sections are going to be challenged in the orchestra. When students feel they’re not being challenged, it’s usually because their part isn’t fast enough. But if a piece is less challenging, that’s a great chance for them to think about the technique they’re working on with their private teacher. If you find a piece easy, chances are you have to take a second look at it.

What would be your top CDs you’d take on a desert island and why?

I would take my Brahms: 4 Symphonies with conductor Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. I would take my recording of the Elgar Serenade for Strings by Academy of St Martin in the Fields. And I would take the Leonard Bernstein New York Philharmonic recording of Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade

From your own experience as a young musician, what are your recommendations for enjoying daily practicing?

There are a lot more resources and ways you can practice to make practice fun than when I was a kid. You can use programs on your computer that are very fun and interactive. You can watch videos on You Tube. You can put all your Suzuki tunes on your iPod. I encourage my own students to take their instrument out of the case every day and rosin their bow. It’s hard to do that and not actually practice. Once you get started, it usually feels better. As far as parental help, having a healthy interest in what their child is working on. Ask them to show you what they’re working on or to teach your something the learned.

Explain the single most important consideration when picking a music teacher.

First and foremost is whether they can play their instrument well. They should have a strong technical foundation on their instrument. The teacher should be able to teach in an organized way. And if you have those things in place, it’s really important that there’s chemistry. Your kid has to like the teacher and the teacher has to like your kid.

What differentiates YOEC from other youth orchestras?

I think that the community of South Orange, Maplewood and the surrounding area is a really special place. It’s diverse, there are a lot of artistic types, it’s a cultural place to live, and it’s also very down to earth. YOEC is very similar. There’s no pretense. I love the board, because I feel like everyone is very kind, they have strong cultural pursuits of their own, and are encouraging those things in their kids. I’ve never been a part of something where there is so much parent involvement. There’s an it-takes-a-village-mentality in YOEC and that reflects in the sorts of offerings we have.

Read Ms. Kim’s bio and blog

Ms. Kim’s “Music For A Deserted Island”

Brahms: 4 Symphonies with conductor Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Elgar Serenade for Strings by Academy of St Martin in the Fields

Leonard Bernstein New York Philharmonic recording of Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade