DOUGLAS COUNTY YOUTH ORCHESTRA
  • Home
  • Join
  • About
  • Contact
  • CALENDAR
  • Gallery

​A Unique Mission

​Douglas County Youth Orchestra believes music is an essential part of every
student's education, and is committed to providing the highest quality orchestral
experiences possible for our students. 
ABOUT US

DCYO's Mission

Douglas County Youth Orchestra believes music is an essential part of every student's education, and is committed to  providing the highest quality orchestral experiences possible for our students. DCYO has been providing Douglas County youth with expert instruction for over a decade. 
We ensure our students work with conductors,
coaches, and mentors who are full-time, professional musicians. Students gain musical expertise, self-esteem, and personal growth. Additionally, our repertoire is challenging, ever-growing, and exciting! We are proud to provide an affordable yet excellent experience for our student musicians.
Picture

Kari Ellsworth - DCYO’s Musical Director and Conductor 

Picture
Kari Ellsworth has been making music for most of her life, having started as a piano student at the age of five. While continuing her piano studies, she added the violin to her repertoire at the age of ten. As a junior high student, she started teaching piano and violin lessons. By the time she graduated high school, she had her own music studio of 20 students. Her parents encouraged her not to get a job at the local hamburger joint, but to teach lessons as her job to build a résumé. At this point, she held two recitals a year, planning recital locations and preparing the refreshments. After high school, her love for music directed her to pursue her higher education in music.

During her university studies, Mrs. Ellsworth studied the violin under Dr. Danwen Jiang while attending Arizona State University and the piano under Lali Breen. She earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education, violin emphasis from Arizona State University. After her undergrad, she continued her music education at the University of Notre Dame studying the violin under Tamara Stojanovic Albahari. She had the unique opportunity to play for the University of Notre Dame Chamber Orchestra, directed by Dr. Alex Blachly and the University of Notre Dame Symphony directed by Dr. Daniel Stowe.

Mrs. Ellsworth has taught a variety of instruments for more than 24 years: piano, violin, viola, cello, and acoustic guitar. She thoroughly enjoys not only playing and creating music, but teaching others with the hope that they will discover the
same joy of music.

Currently and for the last four years, she is the Associate Orchestra Director for the Colorado Saints Chorale & Orchestra of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Lakewood. Kari is an active member of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Colorado State Music Teachers Association (CSMTA), and the Douglas-Elbert Music Teacher Association, (DEMTA).

She resides in Parker with her husband, Josh, and their six children.

DCYO welcomed Kari to the staff during the abbreviated 2019 - 2020 season.  She brought her music theory and strings expertise to our rehearsals and conducted during our Fall 2019 Concert, as our Associate Conductor.  
Picture

Music calls. Will you answer?

JOIN US

Interested in joining? Read up on our process!
JOIN

ABOUT DCYO

Want to get to know us better? Visit our about page!
ABOUT

CONTACT US

Need to ask any questions? Feel free to contact us!
CONTACT
​
Webmaster Beckham Argosino argosinobeckham@gmail.com
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Join
  • About
  • Contact
  • CALENDAR
  • Gallery