NASHUA, NH – Invest in our youth. The It’s All Overtures concert in Nashua was the appropriate culmination of a years’ worth of collaboration with Symphony New Hampshire in our InkLink.news Inkubator initiative.
In our joint quest to engage young people in all aspects of the world of professional musicians, newsworthy stories and community building, Symphony NH opened it doors and heart to all who were curious. Last year, undergraduate students from four colleges across the state participated in creating and experiencing the premiere of the first NH Concerto. This year, high school students got the best seats in the house to experience the symphony close up.
Here’s your chance to participate. Scroll down to the opportunity but also stop and take a look at fine work written by student/musicians Talia and Morgan.
High School Youth
It’s All Overtures brought two student musicians from Manchester High School Central to listen and respond to the concert performance. Both take music lessons. Talia Harmon, as a solo performer, plays ukulele, a member of the lute family of instruments, a then-and-now reminder of the folk music scene. Clarinetist Morgan Losier participates in band at Central. As friends, they attended the concert in Nashua and share their experience via InkLink’s Inkubator. Click on their names to get to their individual reviews.
Talia Harmon Overture to Overtures
This was Talia Harmon’s third Symphony NH concert and with her youth and depth of experience across multiple performances, compares the various performance venues: The Rex, Nashua Community College, and Nashua Center for the Arts.
Morgan Losier Overtures in Concert
For Morgan Losier, this was the first professional full-scale orchestral concert she had ever attended. As a member of her high school band, she brings the perspective of the insider-musician to her commentary. She shares in the experience of the orchestral musicians and feels and communicates the energy and excitement radiating from Maestro Kalia.
Both students said ‘yes’ to this opportunity to experience something new.
Do you remember your first encounter with music that changed your perspective and remains with you still? For me, it was a Symphonie Fantastique recording in a music appreciation class. My teacher brought the voices and story to light in a way I have never forgotten.
Youth have often transformed standards with their professional achievements
Mozart composed The Marriage of Figaro when he was just 30 years old. The Overture to the Marriage of Figaro was quickly written just days before the first performance.
Quinn Mason who composed Toast of the Town is a youthful 28 years old. Yet, this performance by Symphony NH was the 220th time his piece has been performed. Not only is he a popular young composer, but he is also a schoolmate of Symphony NH Principal Clarinetist, Mackenzie Austin.
Jiuri Yu, associate concertmaster has stepped up as acting concertmaster at Symphony NH
Jude Morris, principal trombone, balances his continuing education studies with his music performance.
When you look at the images in each of the stories by Talia and Morgan, I hope you too will take notice of how the conductor brings recognition to the symphony performers. I am impressed by the inkubator writers’ ability to capture in words what the audience could feel from our seats.
We plan on continuing to profile the many diverse youthful and deeply experienced members of the Symphony over the coming season.
There are two more concerts in May.
Rhapsody in Blue on Saturday May 10, 2025 at 7:30pm and Illuminated Ensembles Chamber Favorites on Sunday May 18, 2025 at 4pm. Both are in Concord. Ticket information here.
Youth are our future
The future of community, the future of a respectful society where mentorship brings engagement and builds the opportunities for successive generations, is in our hands. Imagine 60-90 minutes without a handheld device glowing in your face. A period of extended time without your phone ringing, buzzing or otherwise begging to misdirect your attention. Imagine what is possible when you can focus on just one thing for more than a few minutes without distraction.
Here’s your chance: An opportunity to experience and write about the 2025-2026 Symphony NH season
Starting September 2025 Symphony NH will be introducing 5 finalists for the Music Director position. Each will be in Nashua to lead a concert and meet the community. We’d like to share the experience from the audience point of view.
Are you a young professional, or are you a high school or college student who wants to experience journalism connected to the arts? We’re looking for writers or musicians who are classical music-curious to write about each of the concerts at the Keefe in the upcoming season in exchange for a pair of tickets to each show. Contact Keith Spiro, Strategic Advisor, InkLinkArts.
Send an email with why you’d like to participate, and a sample or link to some of your long-form written work. We’d typically be looking for 600-1,000 words and just your reactions to and thoughts surrounding what you experienced attending each individual concert. No comparisons necessary.
Individual Adults and Local Businesses Support our Inkubator program.
If you’d like to help financially support our Inkubator, check out the InkLinkNews Inkubator program.
If you want to help fund Symphony NH from the Classroom to the concert hall you can reach them here.