American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras

Last updated

The American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras (AYPO) are a group of youth orchestras in the Washington metropolitan area. The group consists of three full orchestras (the American Youth Philharmonic, Symphonic Orchestra, and Concert Orchestra), and three string orchestras (Sinfonietta, String Ensemble, and Debut Orchestra), along with several chamber ensembles and community outreach organizations. Currently, over 430 young musicians take part in AYPO programs.

Contents

History

The orchestras were founded as the youth division of the Fairfax Symphony in 1965 with a single ensemble, the Northern Virginia Youth Symphony. The orchestra became independent of the Fairfax Symphony in 1978, and in 1993 changed the name of its main ensemble to the American Youth Philharmonic. [1] The organization has steadily grown since its founding, with the most recent constituent orchestra, the Sinfonietta, being founded in 2021. [2] [3] The organization is among the most prominent in the Washington metropolitan area, performing at a number of prominent venues including Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. [4] In the past, it has also toured internationally to participate in programs such as the Aberdeen International Youth Festival. [5] AYPO also conducts an outreach program to under-served students in Alexandria City Public Schools, called Music Buddies. [6]

Currently, the organization is led by the British organist and choirmaster Dr. Graham Elliott. [7] AYPO's board of directors is mostly composed of the parents of young musicians in AYPO, including business figures such as Ben Baldanza. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seattle Symphony</span>

The Seattle Symphony is an American orchestra based in Seattle, Washington. Since 1998, the orchestra is resident at Benaroya Hall. The orchestra also serves as the accompanying orchestra for the Seattle Opera.

The Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras (MCYO) is a youth orchestra program in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. Along with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the National Philharmonic, MCYO is affiliated with the Strathmore music center. MCYO's programs include a harp ensemble, several chamber ensembles, three string orchestras and three full orchestras. In total, MCYO consists of over 450 young musicians in grades 3 though 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portland Youth Philharmonic</span> Youth orchestra based in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

The Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) is the oldest youth orchestra in the United States, established in 1924 as the Portland Junior Symphony (PJS). Now based in Portland, Oregon, the orchestra's origin dates back to 1910, when music teacher Mary V. Dodge began playing music for local children in Burns, Oregon. Dodge purchased instruments for the children and organized the orchestra, which would become known as the Sagebrush Symphony Orchestra. After touring the state, including a performance at the Oregon State Fair in Salem, the orchestra disbanded in 1918 when Dodge moved to Portland. There, Dodge opened a violin school and became music director of the Irvington School Orchestra.

The Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras, or JSYO, is a youth orchestra based in Jacksonville, Florida.

The New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS) is a non-profit organization based in New Providence, New Jersey. Founded in 1979, it provides young instrumentalists from all around New Jersey with music performance and educational experiences. There are three string ensembles, three full symphony orchestras, three flute ensembles, chamber music programs, music theory classes presented in accordance with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (UK), a summer camp, and other various outreach activities. It operates under auspices the Wharton Institute of the Performing Arts. The symphony performs regularly in the United States and Europe. Helen Cha-Pyo has Artistic Director of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts and Conductor of the Youth Symphony since July 2018.

Based in Baltimore, Maryland, four ensembles comprise the GBYO, the full-sized symphonic Youth Orchestra, the intermediate-level Concert Orchestra, and the beginning-level Sinfonia and Sinfonietta ensembles. GBYO also offers a "Bridges" program, providing entry-level instruction to underserved youth in the city. The GBYO ensembles are in residence at Loyola College in Maryland.

The Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra (GDYO) is a youth orchestra in Dallas, Texas, US, founded in 1972. GDYO has grown from a single orchestra of 35 members to a program of over 450 members. The principal group is the eponymous symphony, presently under the direction of the Maestro Richard Giangiulio. The organization as a whole comprises eight groups, which together provide musical opportunities for students from ages five to eighteen. Auditions are held each spring. Coaches and Judges come from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Opera, Dallas Winds, and area universities and orchestras. Ensembles in the program include two full orchestras, three string orchestras, a wind ensemble, a flute choir, and eight jazz combos. The mission of Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra is to inspire and cultivate excellence in youth through music education, ensemble building, and performance opportunities.

The Peninsula Symphony is an American symphony orchestra, based in the San Francisco Peninsula, California. The orchestra consists of over 90 community musicians. In 1995, the Peninsula Symphony was featured in a PBS broadcast.

New England String Ensemble was founded in 1993 by violinist Peter Stickel and cellist John Bumstead to champion strings in performance and education and is one of the country's leading professional string orchestras. The ensemble consists of 26 professional string musicians who perform four concert programs a year at both the Rogers Center for the Arts in North Andover, Massachusetts and New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. It is led by conductor and music director, Federico Cortese, and performs music from the 17th century to the present.

https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_1EMRZW

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quad City Symphony Orchestra</span>

The Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO) is a United States symphony orchestra based in Davenport, Iowa, and representing the Quad Cities area. The current music director and conductor is Mark Russell Smith. Established in 1916, the orchestra has a full season, performing six Masterworks series concerts, three pops concerts, and five signature series chamber concerts. The 96-member orchestra principally performs at two venues: the Adler Theater, located in Davenport, Iowa and Centennial Hall on the campus of Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. The Riverfront Pops Concert in early September is held at the W.D. Petersen Memorial Music Pavilion in LeClaire Park on the Davenport riverfront. Its Holiday Pops Concert is performed at the Adler Theater. The signature series concerts are held in a more intimate setting, often at the Figge Art Museum. It also maintains four ensembles for local youth and conducts extensive outreach in area schools.

Founded in 1976, the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras (EYSO) is the oldest and largest youth orchestra program in northwest Illinois and is composed of three full orchestras, two string orchestras, a brass choir, two percussion ensembles, a flute choir, and a large Chamber Music Institute.

The Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony (MAYS) is a youth orchestra in the Central Florida region founded in honor of conductor and cellist, Jonathan May. The MAYS is led by Artistic Directors Maureen May and Michael Miller and features eight orchestral groups spanning beginner, intermediate and advanced skill levels, as well as several in-school strings programs. In 2015, MAYS added Dr. Chung Park, Director of Orchestras and String Music Education at the University of Central Florida, to the artistic staff as conductor of the Symphony. The MAYS currently rehearses at St. Alban's Anglican Church in Oviedo, Florida and Lake-Sumter State College in Leesburg, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ward Stare</span> American conductor (born 1982)

Ward Stare is an American conductor. Stare was the Music Director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 2014 until 2021 and was also the Resident Conductor of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra from 2008 to 2012. Stare is currently active as a guest conductor both domestically within the United States as well as internationally. In addition Stare currently holds a position as a Distinguished Artist at the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.

Mei-Ann Chen is a Taiwanese American conductor. She is currently music director of the Chicago Sinfonietta and conductor laureate of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.

Metropolitan Youth Symphony is a youth orchestra organization in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.

Kenji Bunch is an American composer and violist. Bunch currently serves as the artistic director of Fear No Music and teaches at Portland State University, Reed College, and for the Portland Youth Philharmonic. He is also the director of MYSfits, the most advanced string ensemble of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony.

The Pasadena Symphony and POPS is an American orchestra based in Pasadena, California. In 2010 it took up residence at the Ambassador Auditorium, where its Classics Series runs from October through April. Since 2012 it performs a summer series at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden from June through September.

The Chicago Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois, governed by the Chicago Philharmonic Society. Founded in 1988 by principals of the Lyric Opera Orchestra of Chicago, it is a musician-governed, non-profit organization consisting of nearly 200 classical music performers from the Chicago area. Since 2013, the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor has been Scott Speck.

References

  1. ↑ "About AYPO". www.ayporchestras.org. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  2. ↑ "Presenting the New AYPO Ensemble: American Youth Sinfonietta (AYS)". American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  3. ↑ "AYDO". American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  4. ↑ Midgette, Anne (2013-07-11). "National Youth Orchestra's musicians act as 'ambassadors' around the world". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  5. ↑ "Mission & History". American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  6. ↑ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra Makes Transition to Virtual Learning". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-01-30.
  7. ↑ "Graham Elliott". American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras. Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  8. ↑ "Board of Directors". American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras. Retrieved 2022-02-13.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.