Summerville Orchestra
Youth & Junior Philharmonic
About the Summerville Orchestra Junior & Youth Philharmonic
The Summerville Orchestra (S.O.) is proud to announce that it has expanded its efforts to collaborate with the education community, specifically through the creation of a brand-new, youth string orchestra program, music advocacy initiatives, and mentorship opportunities. In line with the S.O.’s strategic goals to promote and enhance music education in our area, the Summerville Orchestra created a dynamic, energetic, passionate, and dedicated program to lead this new education initiative.
A priority on the S.O. ‘s Strategic Plan is to create a youth string orchestra to enhance our young citizens’ love of music, while also promoting their musical growth and development. These new ensembles are composed mostly of students in middle and high school. It will directly strengthen, reinforce, and enhance the string pedagogy of our local school districts and teachers from the private, public-school districts, and home-school communities of the Summerville area. These include, but are not limited to, Dorchester, Berkeley, and Charleston counties. The opportunity to participate in the ensemble will be offered at no cost to students or their families.
The Director - DeAnndra Glenn
The Summerville Orchestra (S.O.) is thrilled to announce DeAnndra Glenn as the inaugural director and education coordinator for the new Summerville Orchestra Youth Philharmonic (S.O. Youth Philharmonic) and education program.
Glenn brings a wealth of teaching and performing experience to the position. She has taught strings students of all ages in the Charleston area since 2004 and has performed with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, the North Charleston POPS! and with Mannheim Steamroller, Michael Bublé and Michael W. Smith among many others.
She was conductor of the Charleston County School District Honors Orchestra from 2005 to 2010, and served for seven years as a strings instructor for both the Charleston
County School district summer SMAART (Students Mastering the Academic Arts) program and the West Ashley middle and high schools.
Glenn founded Charleston Violin Studio, and many of her violin and viola students have gained admission to the Charleston County School District School of the Arts, Rollings School of the Arts, the Lowcountry Region and South Carolina All-State Orchestras and the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra.
Along with performing as violinist with the North Charleston POPS! (since 2014) and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Glenn has played with Charleston Stage and the
Long Bay Symphony Orchestra (serving the Grand Strand). She holds a Bachelor of Music in violin performance from the University of Montana and earned a South Carolina teaching certification in instrumental music. She received her training in the Suzuki method and “Every Child Can!” from East Carolina University. She studied locally under the College of Charleston’s Lee-Chin Siow.
In her free time, Glenn loves gardening and traveling with her husband and children.
2025-26 Season Auditions
All applicants for the Summerville Orchestra Junior Philharmonic and Youth Philharmonic must complete this form.
Violin: G Major scale
Viola: C Major scale
Cello: C Major scale
Bass: D Major scale
Youth Philharmonic Scale Requirement – Students auditioning for the Youth Philharmonic will prepare the following scales. They may choose to play them in two or three octaves.
Violin: D Major and D minor
Viola: G Major and G minor
Cello: G Major and G minor
Bass: G Major and G minor
Youth Philharmonic Excerpt Requirement:
Contact: deanndra@summervilleorchestra.org
SOJP/SOYP Season 2025-26 Events:
Fall Concert: November 8 at 4 p.m. at Fort Dorchester HS
Town of Summerville Tree Lighting Ceremony – December 2nd at 5:45 PM
Spring Concert – April 19th at 4:00 PM
Youth Phil/Summerville Orchestra Side by Side Performance – May 14th at 7:30 PM & 15th at 3:00 PM
Rehearsal Dates:
Rehearsals will be on Monday evenings at Alston Middle School in Summerville. The first rehearsal of the 2025-26 school year will be held on Monday, September 8th.