Music and Arts for the Pacific Northwest

Peterson Conservatory of Music and Arts has promoted excellence in the arts in Northwest Washington for 16 years! Our convenient location at Salem Lutheran Church in Mount Vernon is ideal for private/class instruction in piano, orchestral instruments and voice. Camps and specialty musical training events for youth and adult musicians are held at other venues during each season.

Starry Night Chamber Orchestra, made up of Conservatory faculty and outstanding guest performers, performs in various configurations throughout the year, bringing a high level of professional live performance to the Northwest.

Concert Tour, July 2025; Spain and Southern France

Join our North Stars Chamber Orchestra Tour to Spain and Southern France in July, 2025! We were very excited to receive a special invitation to participate in the "American Festival of Music in France" last week! Tentative dates: July 8-18. The invitation is based on our performances in European tours we have done in past summers through Music Celebrations International. (MCI). Sharyn Peterson is organizing the musical side of the tour, and MCI will handle the logistics, including air, hotel, transportation, concert arrangements, meals, and guides. We have a deadline of November 10, to collect 20 participants for this amazing experience!

Spain Tour Daily Activities Brochure
Spain Orchestral Tour Brochure

Please direct all inquiries to Sharyn Peterson, Tour Director, at sharynpeterson@hotmail.com, not to Northwest Youth Symphony Association. Peterson Conservatory organizes and produces these European Tours, and all experienced youth symphony musicians, ages 13-24 are welcome! (we include members of other orchestras or bands besides NYSA. Since these may be unknown to us, please include a link to a short video of a solo showing current advancement). Teachers, please share with your students, and consider coming on the trip as a chaperone!

North Stars Chamber Orchestra wish list: 7 violins, 3 violas, 2-3 celli, 1 bass, 2 flutes, 1 oboe, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 1 bassoon, 2 trumpets, 1 trombone, 1 tuba, 1-2 percussionists, and most important: 5 adult chaperones (over 21)

This personal invitation to players we have worked with is based on our observations re: your performance excellence, dedication to your musical art, and the character you have shown in your interactions with your peers and your instructors. We are seeking more fine players, who show these traits!

The cost is always a concern-how to gather funds for a life-changing trip such as this one? We will pursue these steps to accomplish the goals:

Group Go Fund Me account-highly published.

Individual Go Fund Me accounts -players contacting their own circle of friends, family, other supporters of their life's musical journey.

Fund raising concerts in the late Winter and Spring, involving ensembles of participants, with one final full concert of the music to be performed in Spain and France.

The more travelers we have, the more the price goes down per person. (This is due to fixed costs, i.e. busses and concert halls, etc ) Please let Mrs. Peterson, at sharynpeterson@hotmail.com know if you are interested in joining the tour as a performer, chaperone, or a supportive team member from home, or if you have any questions!

Fidalgo, Mt Baker, and Whidbey Island Youth Symphonies' Audition and Registration Info

Audition now for the new music session that begins after March 18

Email sharynpeterson@hotmail.com or seanbrownmusic86@gmail.com to reserve an audition time

Director's Notes

Hello again to our Peterson Conservatory students, friends, and families! We re-opened last fall for in-person lessons at Salem Lutheran church in Mount Vernon. Our teachers are enrolling new and returning students for private lessons. Although we really look forward to seeing you in person, there will still be an option to have Zoom lessons with individual instructors, so please contact them directly for information.

Humans are musical creatures, as is even illustrated by the rhythmic beating of our hearts, and the change in our emotions when we hear different moods of music! Music also sharpens our brain function and neurological connections with fine motor movement. Soothing kinds of music have been found to increase serotonin levels in infants and indeed in all ages. These benefits are especially connected to the learning and performance of instruments and song. For youth, who are now especially quite hungry for social interaction, participation in a musical ensemble meets all of the criteria above plus added enjoyment of creating music with friends! It is definitely time to get involved again. We at PCMA welcome you warmly!
Let's Jump Back Into Youth Symphony!

Fidalgo Youth Symphony
Thursday Rehearsals
Sinfonette: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Junior Symphony: 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Youth Symphony: 6:30 - 8:45 p.m.
Salem Lutheran Church, Mt. Vernon

Mount Baker Youth Symphony
Monday Rehearsals
Junior Symphony: 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Youth Symphony: 7 - 9 p.m.
Trinity Lutheran Church, Bellingham

Warm regards, Sharyn Peterson