VCS Radio Conservatory

VCS Radio Symphony to perform Tolkien's Lord of the Rings -- not the movie, but the original trilogy as composed in Symphony #1 by Dutch composer, Johan de Meij. 

His monumental work is in five movements built on five episodes and characters from the epic story. The symphony, itself was completed in 1987 receiving accolades worldwide; performed by such prestigious orchestras as the London Symphony. 

(photo by Vera Tu)

Saturday afternoon was alive with JAZZ as the VCS Radio Jazz Ensemble presented their unique brand of music to an enthusiastic audience. It was part of the 3-day outdoor Vacaville Jazz Festival being hosted at Nut Tree Plaza this last weekend. The problem was the train that circled the plaza's outside park area where the band was to perform. The train whistle and bell were so loud that it would have ruined the performance. Blowing the piercing whistle and clanging the bell is required of the train at all of the park entrances for safety. 

The train is part of the business of Nut Tree. It has to run! Well, maybe not.

The VCS Radio Conservatory Presents 

The VCS Radio Explorer Ensemble
The VCS Radio Jazz Ensemble 
The VCS Radio Symphony  

CONCERT SEASON #33 

Last year's projects represented a fantastic achievement for VCS conservatory students! Fans witnessed the groundbreaking film score to "The Lost World," the students' national recognition from DownBeat Magazine, and their excellent new album recorded at the legendary Fantasy Studios! With all that success, what's in store for year thirty-three?  

This upcoming season is the most challenging and exciting to date! We'll be celebrating the music of America's most noted  composer, Leonard Bernstein on his 100th birthday with "Symphonic Dances from West Side Story." We'll be performing the original 40-minute symphony of Johan de Meij -- based on Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings!" Of course, as is the tradition, the VCS Radio Symphony members select a musical work scheduled to be performed this season by the San Francisco Symphony. The students will attend their concert and then perform that same work themselves here in Vacaville. This year the students chose Richard Strauss' extremely challenging tone poem, "Don Juan!"  

Our season's grand finale will be the amazing Buster Keaton feature film, "Steamboat Bill Jr." with music by the VCS Radio Symphony LIVE.

Pictured above -- Part of the composition team for THE LOST WORLD!

The best action dinosaur movie was made in 1925. Who Knew??

Well, our VCS students did. They've just composed a complete original orchestral score for the one-hour-forty-minute feature film to be performed LIVE at Brenden Theatres August 13, 14, & 15 at 7:00 pm by our own VCS Radio Symphony!

The kids finished the complete film score composition requiring 43 separate cues! They completed the orchestrations in just over six weeks - not bad for kids :) This is the kind of stuff usually done by professionals such as John Williams! For kids, this is quite an undertaking, but they've had a lot of experience doing world-class projects! This is the VCS Radio Conservatory's 23rd historic musical score project ranging from researched restorations to full original compositions.

Daily orchestra rehearsals for the Lost World, ahead of the compositions, started in mid-June. They'll be working on logistics and putting in the last touches before the run-through rehearsal on August 13th in the morning at the movie theater. 

Of course, you can't have a proper action dino movie score without special sound effects! 

VCS RADIO SYMPHONY SCORES THE LOST WORLD August 13, 14 and 15 at 7:00pm - Brenden Theatres
This summer, the epic motion picture, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, premiered in theaters as the latest action dino-movie. This summer, the VCS Radio Symphony students will score the original 1925 epic film, THE LOST WORLD by special effects master, Willis O'Brien (KING KONG). Under the brilliant and painstaking search, restoration and support of Lobster Films, Flicker Alley Films, as well as such organizations as UCLA and the Acadamy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This film has been restored with its' missing footage believed lost forever!  

VCS Radio Jazz Ensemble released their new album, RELAXED INSANITY, recorded at the legendary Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, CA. The album was released at midnight Monday morning. You can listen to the entire album now.

I don't have allergies, but for some reason, my eyes always seem to get a bit red and watery around May. Maybe it's not allergies. Could it be that this is the month my senior students graduate? Could it be the fact that they were my students since they were 3rd graders ten years ago? 

The Radio Advertising Bureau, the largest commercial radio industry organization, recognizes our own VCS Radio station as an integral part of the future of broadcasting! 

I was a recently featured guest of the RAB president's Radio on Main Street industry podcast. Listen to the recording of that national interview... 

Taking on one of the most beautiful and challenging works for orchestra is no easy task. The 40-minute epic work, composed in 1888 by Russian composer, Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov, is based on 1001 Arabian Nights. It features brilliant orchestration in a vivid storytelling style, so well-known by the members of the renown VCS Radio Symphony.

So, What's it like during a typical production? It's hard to answer because each student project is always so different and fresh! The VCS Radio Conservatory is the creative performing Arts department of our school. Our world-renowned education focuses on…

VCS radio Jazz Ensemble spent the last four days at the Reno Jazz Festival, the largest of it's kind in the world. Schools from all over the country bring their jazz bands to attend clinics and to perform in…

 VCS Radio Jazz Ensemble
receives a 2018 SMA award for
Outstanding Performance
of a High School Large Jazz Ensemble

Vacaville Christian Schools

It's always wonderful when our students get recognized for their artistry and work! The Downbeat Student Music Awards are the most prestigious of its kind in the world. It names the best high school and university jazz ensembles globally. We are very proud of our students for bringing VCS into the world-class level of upcoming artists!

If you see a VCS Radio Jazz Ensemble member, give him/her a thumbs-up and congratulations. An award such as this is a rare and big thing!

DownBeat Magazine officials say,