COLUMBUS SYMPHONY REPERTORY ORCHESTRA

First establsihed as Cadet Orchestra in 1967, John Deliman was the ensemble's first conductor. Beginning in summer of 2022, Cadet Orchestra will now be known as Repertory Orchestra, bringing a focused attention to one of the essential goals of the ensemble - to emphasize the performance of traditional orchestral literature under the leadership and coaching of professional musicians. The ensemble is under the direction of Dr. Mark Sholl and Assistant Conductor Dr. Jim Bates and is comprised of students in grades 7-10.

The full, symphonic orchestra performs advanced, unabridged classical works that expand the performance capabilities of its musicians. Previous repertoire has included Bamboula by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Slavonic Dances No. 8 by Dvořák, and Procession of the Nobles by Rimsky-Korsakov. 

The ensemble rehearses Tuesday evenings from 7:00pm-9:15pm, and typically performs 3-4 times a season at various locations around central Ohio. The annual tuition cost for Repertory Orchestra is $525.00. Financial Aid and payment plans are available for each of our ensembles upon request.

Visit the CSYO Auditions webpage for more information regarding 2022-23 auditions.

2022-2023 Season Upcoming Performances

Sunday, April 30, 2023 at 3:00PM - Capital University

Admissions and Parking are Free!

Dr. Mark Sholl, conductor

Dr. Mark Sholl is the performing arts coordinator for the Hilliard City Schools. His responsibilities include overseeing the music budget and staffing for 13 elementary schools, two 6th grade schools, three middle schools and three high schools. Dr. Sholl is also the past president of the Ohio Orchestra and String Teachers Association. He currently serves on the board of the Hilliard Arts Council, and the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra Board where he is their Education Committee Chair. Prior to his tenure as Performing Arts Coordinator with the Hilliard Schools, Dr. Sholl was the Orchestra Director at Hilliard Davidson High School for 24 years where he took the orchestras to multiple National and State Conferences - including the prestigious Midwest Clinic in Chicago , two European tours, and a tour of Canada. Before going to Hilliard, he was the Orchestra and Assistant Band Director at Grove City High School for six years, where he won the National Sallie Mae Teaching Award. Dr. Sholl has also conducted numerous ensembles at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and Interlochen Arts Camp in Michigan. In 2011, he received the Ohio Music Education Association Outstanding Music Teacher of the Year award. He has studied at The Peabody Conservatory, The University of Michigan, where he received a Bachelor of Music, and The Ohio State University from which he received his Master of Arts and PhD. 

Dr. Jim Bates, assistant conductor

Dr. Jim Bates is Director of Orchestral Activities at Otterbein University and since 2006 has served as an assistant conductor for the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestras. As a conductor and teacher, Dr. Bates is able to draw on considerable experience as an educator, performer and historian. For eighteen years he was a conductor for the Louisville (KY) Youth Orchestras and was music director of that organization from 1996 – 2001. In 1999, he joined the conducting staff of Interlochen Center for the Arts and continues to co-direct the Junior Orchestra program and Junior String Institute there in the summer. He has served as a clinician or guest conductor in Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, California, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Washington and Colorado. He has served as president of Kentucky ASTA and as string coordinator for the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts. In addition to string education he is very involved with the Classical Mandolin Society of America and period instrument performance. He was recently elected to the National Board of Directors of CMSA. Currently, Dr. Bates is assistant conductor and principal bassist of the Westerville Symphony (OH), and is a member of The Early Interval, Columbus’ professional early music performance ensemble. He has degrees from the University of Louisville (B.M.E.), a Masters in double bass performance from Indiana University, where he studied bass with Lawrence Hurst and baroque performance with Stanley Ritchie, and a Ph.D. in Musicology from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Bates has two sons, Ethan and Gideon. Dr. Bates was recently appointed to chair the Coda Bows for America Community Outreach Program for ASTA.

Are you an Alumni? We’d love to hear from you! Send us an email at [email protected]