How One Act of Support Helped Start an Orchestra When York Region Youth Orchestra first began, one of the most important things we needed was a timpani. For anyone familiar with orchestra music, the timpani is not simply an optional instrument. It is an essential part of the orchestral sound. It provides depth, power, rhythm, drama, and structure. In many orchestral works, the timpani plays a role that cannot be replaced. At the same time, the timpani is one of the most diffi