The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.
Mario Frangoulis is a Greek vocalist and theatre actor, famous for his refined tenor vocals. Born in Rhodesia, Frangoulis after his three decade long career has established himself as a critically and commercially acclaimed recording artist and vocal performer in Greece and neighbouring countries. His initial rise to international prominence came with his hit song "Vincerò, Perderò" and his rendition of the song "Nights in White Satin".
The Colne Valley Youth Orchestra is a youth orchestra in Essex, England. It was founded in 1981, and has been playing and performing in North Essex. It provides a non-auditioning classical music provider for young people aged ten to 19. Established by Nigel Hildreth, who continues to both conduct and run the administrative side of the orchestra, its patron was Sir Malcolm Arnold. The current honorary President of the orchestra is Damon Albarn.
Sheffield has a growing cultural reputation. 7.2% of Sheffield's working population are employed in the creative industries, well above the national average of 4%. The music scene has produced many music acts during the last 25 years. It is also home to the largest theatre complex outside London. The council has attempted to build upon these foundations with the creation of the Cultural Industries Quarter. Sheffield made the shortlist for the first city to be designated UK City of Culture, but in July 2010 it was announced that Derry had been selected.
The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland (NYOS) caters to students ages 8 to 25, through orchestras, jazz bands, training ensembles and outreach programmes.
The Tees Valley Youth Orchestra is the flagship youth orchestra of Tees Valley Music Service and one of the largest youth orchestras in the UK, which welcomes the best music students across the four boroughs of the Tees Valley and indeed from all over the North East of England. The orchestra also draws some members from further afield, such as North Yorkshire, making it the only full sized youth orchestra that meets regularly in the North East of England. Rehearsals take place every Friday night during term time from 6:30 to 9:15 at Teesside High School. The orchestra was originally conducted by David Kendall in the 1980s. David Kendal conducted the orchestra as well as being head of the music service and handed the baton to Christopher Johns on retirement in 2006. From 2006 to 2010, the orchestra was conducted by Chris Johns, who retired in December 2010 after being appointed as Director of Music at Leicester Cathedral. Nicholas Nowicki has conducted the orchestra since January 2011, assisted by tutors who work with the different sections of the orchestra for the first half of four rehearsals per term.
Kevin Kenner is an American concert pianist.
The Nottingham Youth Orchestra is a youth orchestra that was founded in 1985 by Derek Williams and the late Stephen Fairlie. The main aim of the orchestra is to promote the musical development of young local musicians in full time education. The orchestra has gained a reputation for its high standards of performance and has received praise and acclaim both in the UK and on tours abroad.
The Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra is an amateur symphony orchestra based in Sheffield, England. Based in the cultural heart of the City of Sheffield at the Victoria Hall, the SPO draws on players of all backgrounds from across Yorkshire & the Humber, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire. The orchestra prides itself on its rich musical history, as well as its core ethos of providing a medium for local musicians to flourish. The Orchestra gives no fewer than five concerts a year across Sheffield and beyond, and its regular programme of season concerts is supplemented by music weekends, foreign tours, collaboration with local choral societies and open air charity concerts. Over the years the SPO has performed in many notable venues, such as: Sheffield City Hall, Buxton Pavilion Gardens and Birmingham Symphony Hall, where they recorded a live CD with revered acoustic and electric guitarist, Gordon Giltrap MBE. The Orchestra has also performed at music festivals on the islands of Crete, Malta and Sardinia.
Tees Valley Youth Choir, or commonly abbreviated and referred to as TVYC, is the flagship choir of Tees Valley Music Service. Its members are made up of 13- to 19-year-olds and recruits from the boroughs of Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Darlington, and Redcar & Cleveland. It also draws members from further afield, particularly North Yorkshire, County Durham and surrounding areas.
The Leeds Festival Chorus is based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has 160 singing members in soprano, alto, tenor and bass sections. Presenting classical choral music of a professional standard in Yorkshire and elsewhere, including at the BBC Proms and abroad - for example in Venice. The Chorus is broadcast regularly on BBC Radio 3.
Richard Durrant Dip RCM, ARCM, FLCM is an English guitarist and composer. He studied guitar, cello, and composition at the Royal College of Music in London between 1981 and 1986. Since his debut at the Purcell Room, London in July 1986. Richard Durrant has gained an international reputation as one of the great guitarists of his generation. He has pursued both performance and composition in an unconventional career that has avoided categorisation and he has built a faithful, ever expanding audience who warm to his unpretentious manner and natural skills of communication. He is one of the only classical guitar virtuosi who performs standing up.
Rainer Hersch is a British conductor, actor, writer and comedian known for his comical take on classical music. He has toured in more than 30 countries and has broadcast extensively, principally for the BBC. His radio series include All Classical Music Explained ; Rainer Hersch's 20th Century Retrospective and All the Right Notes, Not Necessarily in the Right Order.
The Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS) is a group of youth orchestras in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Founded in 1972, GTCYS has served over 16,000 musicians and put on more than 500 concerts. The top orchestra has also traveled on 12 national and international tours. GTCYS currently features 10 orchestras for young musicians any age through high school.
The Jeunesses Musicales World Orchestra was a program of Jeunesses Musicales International. It was founded in 1949 by Igor Markevitch but its permanent structure dates back to 1970, when Gilles Lefebvre consolidated the world's first youth orchestra. During this period the orchestra had the residence in Canada, from 1988 to 2004 it moved to Berlin and actually its headquarters is in Spain with the support of Valencian region.
The Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de México (OSEM) is the symphony orchestra of the State of Mexico. It was founded in 1971 and is based in Toluca, Mexico State, Mexico; its home hall is Sala Felipe Villanueva.
Gerald Richard Fagan is considered one of Canada's premier choral conductors. He is the former Conductor and Artistic Director of Fanshawe Chorus London, The Gerald Fagan Singers, and the Concert Players Orchestra. He has been married to Marlene Fagan since 1961. They have five children; Leslie, Louise, Judy, Jennifer and Jonathon.
The Philharmonia Chorus is an independent self-governing symphony chorus based in London, UK. Since its foundation in 1957 the Chorus has given over 900 concerts and made over 100 recordings. The Chorus Master is Gavin Carr.
Colin Metters is an English conductor, orchestral trainer and conducting pedagogue. He is Professor of Conducting at the Royal Academy of Music in London where he founded the Conductors' Course in 1983. In September 2013, he retired as Head of Studies after serving in the post for 30 years. He remains as Professor of Conducting at the Academy's Postgraduate Conductors' Course.
The South African National Youth Orchestra Foundation is a non-profit organisation in the music education and development sector. The Foundation supports the training and development of South Africa's young musicians through national courses, national and international tours and workshops, and networks nationally and internationally. It also assists regional youth orchestra and music education programmes countrywide. It organises youth orchestra courses, where the South African National Youth Orchestras are formed. This has included the South African National Youth Orchestra, South African National Concert Orchestra, the South African National Wind Orchestra, the South African National Youth Baroque Orchestra, South African National Youth Brass and the South African National Youth String Orchestra. Members of these orchestras are under the age of 25.