A group of youth and adults from the Warren Music Conservatory went to Cleveland on June 23, to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

About 25 members of the Warren County Youth Orchestra, with youth from Warren, McKean, Chautauqua, and Cattaraugus counties, and six adult performing mentor/instructors, were among the Conservatory students and leaders who played a Summer Showcase outside the iconic Rock Hall.

“They look for groups like ours that provide music opportunities to kids,” Conservatory owner and Music Director Joseph Glarner said. “We were invited to play through a musical relationship I have at the Hall of Fame. A lot of student groups are invited to perform there May through June and September. During July and August the Hall of Fame has a major concert series.”

“The Warren County Youth Orchestra was the only orchestra to perform this year,” he said. “Our staff was humbled we were asked to perform. In a world full of musical talent, it was an honor to do such an event. It’s not everyday they have an orchestra play out front of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and we knew that.”

Photo submitted to Times Observer The Warren County Youth Orchestra of the Warren Music Conservatory performs at the entrance to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland as part of the Summer Showcase event.

The showcase last a little over an hour.

There was a contingent of about 60 local fans – family and friends – present for the concert. But many more people heard the performance.

“We had a great audience,” Glarner said. “A lot of people stopped to listen as they came through. At any given time we had several hundred people watching.”

Another 6,700 watched live on Facebook, he said. “Our virtual audience was huge.”

“Many of these kids were completely blown away they got to perform at such a prestigious venue,” Glarner said. “With the City Skyline in front of them they got to perform in a City Center that is popularized for music. The positive affirmations they got as a result inspire them to work harder at their musical craft, thus enriching their lives.”

It might have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience, except the performance is not a one-time gig. “We are already set to perform again next June as an annual event for our students,” Glarner said. “We are looking forward to next year already.”

The orchestra performance was the local feature of the showcase.

The Youth Orchestra, now in its fifth year, was created by Glarner.

“The creation of the Warren County Youth Orchestra was to give kids an opportunity in Warren County to pursue music performance opportunities which are hard to come by other than the limited time they have in school,” he said.

Playing at the Rock Hall was just that kind of opportunity, but the program is more than playing one major venue.

“Musical Director Chelci Cowan has done an amazing job fostering the love of music, and musicianship with these students over the last five years,” Glarner said. “Their most recent spring concert was met with outstanding reviews and put on display an amazing level of musical accomplishments few groups with kids this young generally perform at.”

“Music education can be a platform to help make our children happier, healthier, and smarter,” he said. “The staff at The Music Conservatory absolutely love the students they work with, and we work with what we got. Whether it’s a student who is a college bound music major, or a child who has special needs and wants music therapy in their life, as long as you love music lessons and want it in your life, we have a teacher for you.”

The program could use some backing to help it continue bringing opportunities to Warren County, Glarner said. “I have personally funded this program for the last 5 years and I am now asking the community to ‘pitch in.’ I have literally paid the teacher and made the program free for students because we live in an area that has so much economic hardship many parents cannot afford music lessons like this for deserving students.”

“I have spent the last eight years of my life trying to help bring music opportunities to children in Warren County,” Glarner said. “The event was a good example of what we have been working so hard at. We aren’t trying to make all these kids professional musicians, we are trying to enrich their lives and give them an experience that shapes who they become.”