Story by Carrie Beth Wallace
Images courtesy of the Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus
The Youth Orchestra of Greater Columbus will host a world-famous classical string ensemble in town next week. Time for Three will be in residency with YOGC to work with their students, and appear in a concert with them at Rainey-McCullers School of the Arts on Tuesday evening.
Time for Three is comprised of Charles Yang, Nicolas Kendall, and Ranaan Meyer.
Time for Three is known for defying convention and boundaries. Known for tackling multiple genres of music all at once, the ensemble's popularity has skyrocketed quickly reaching a wide and diverse fan base. The group is comprised of Charles Yang (violin, vocals), Nicolas “Nick” Kendall (violin, vocals), and Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals). Together, Time for Three presents concerts of music from different eras, multiple styles, and newly-imagined hits developed exclusively for the group's unusual combination of instrumentation and vocal prowess.
Time for Three's residency offers several important benefits to local music students, and is made possible through local grant money.
"This event is funded by a grant from the Columbus Cultural Arts Alliance," said Stephanie Payne, YOGC's Executive Director. "Columbus Cultural Arts Alliance is a program of VisitColumbusGA whose funding come from an allocation from the hotel/motel tax. This grant is what makes it possible to bring a world-class artist to spend two days with YOGC's musicians, as well as 15 additional string players from Muscogee County that have never participated with YOGC before."
Payne said that she had no personal connection with Time for Three prior to receiving the grant. "We simply contacted their agent to initiate a conversation," she explained. "They have been incredibly willing to work with the students in a way that fits our vision and budgetary limitations."
Time for Three has told Payne that they are excited to come and share their experiences with local students. Payne is thrilled to be able to offer YOGC's students such an incredible experience.
“We have been wanting to bring this group to Columbus for about three years now, but this is the season where it made sense," said Payne. "They are phenomenal players that also have a proven track record of entrepreneurship within the creative field. To make it as a chamber ensemble on the world stage today is incredibly difficult, and they are going to be able to share so much knowledge with our young musicians about music, creativity, and how to make it as a creative professional in a highly competitive world. There is no better group to bring in as we continue to work as a community towards the goals of Columbus 2025 to inspire our musicians to be the leaders of tomorrow, no matter what path they take in their lives."
At the conclusion of their residency, Time for Three will appear in concert with YOGC. In addition to the group's lectures and workshops, this gives the students the unusual experience of sharing the stage with a world-class ensemble as well. The concert will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday January 7, at Rainey-McCullers School of the Arts. The first half of the concert will feature Time for Three playing some of their most popular music. Then, YOGC's students will join them for the second half of the program to finish out the concert.
"This is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most of our students," said Payne. "We are incredibly grateful for the support from the Columbus Cultural Arts Alliance, VisitColumbusGA, and the city's willingness to invest in inspiring our community's next generation of leaders." ◼︎
If You Go:
What: Time for Three
When: January 7, 7 p.m.
Where: Rainey-McCullers School of the Arts, 1700 Midtown Drive
Cost: $10 per person
