Every Saturday morning, the Fleetwood-area campus of Surrey Christian School comes alive with music as the Surrey Youth Orchestra (SYO) gathers for rehearsals. The 2024-25 season kicked off on September 7, with five different ensembles, including Prelude Strings, Intermezzo Strings, Intermediate Orchestra, Senior Orchestra, and Piccolo Strings.
Andrea Lewis-Taylor, now in her tenth year as a conductor with SYO, continues the legacy of her mother, Lucille Lewis, who co-founded the orchestra in 1976. “It’s amusing,” Taylor shared, “because sometimes there are sports or martial arts events happening at the school, and people wander into our room, looking curious. Many don’t realize there’s such a vibrant orchestra here in Surrey.”
Taylor conducts three of the youngest SYO groups, and the organization has grown significantly since its humble beginnings. Now, under the artistic direction of Joel Stobbe, the orchestra has over 200 students. This year, former SYO student Will Chen also joined as a conductor.
“We added a fifth group last year – Piccolo Strings for the youngest musicians,” Taylor explained. “This fall, we’re turning Symphonic Strings into an Intermediate Symphony Orchestra, a full orchestra with winds, not just strings.”
The rapid growth is evident. “When I started, I had 16 kids in one group,” Taylor recalled. “Now, I have over 110 students in my three groups alone.”
However, the orchestra still faces challenges recruiting young musicians for specific instruments. “We hold auditions in May and August, but we’re still looking for brass players, especially, for the new Intermediate Orchestra,” Taylor said. “There’s no long line of oboe players knocking on our door,” she joked.
One challenge is that many string players start with private lessons, while brass and wind players often begin learning later, usually in a school group setting. “String players tend to get a head start because they often begin earlier,” Taylor noted.
Details about the history, rehearsal times, and membership fees for SYO are available on their website, surreyyouthorchestra.com.
This year’s calendar includes an open house on October 12 at Surrey Christian Secondary School, followed by the annual Sounds of the Season concert on December 14 at Chandos Pattison Auditorium.
“The open house is a chance for the community to see what we’ve been working on for the past month,” Taylor explained.
Her mother, Lucille Lewis, now 82, still attends SYO concerts and presents a scholarship to a graduating student. She even came out of retirement in 2016 to conduct for the orchestra’s 40th anniversary. Taylor hinted at the possibility of a similar appearance for the upcoming 50th anniversary in 2026, though she joked, “We’ll see if we can convince her.”
