The Canton Youth Symphony Opens Its Concert Season with COMING HOME, 11/16

The Canton Youth Symphony (CYS) opens its concert season on November 16 at 4:00pm at the GlenOak High School theatre. Rachel Waddell, Music Director of CYS, has titled the concert "Coming Home" in an acknowledgement not only of the musical selections but also of the fact that CYS now rehearses at the new Zimmermann Symphony Center and Umstattd Hall, home of the Canton Symphony Orchestra.

"The concert features music by composers who loved their countries and their countries' heritage", says Waddell. "There's Bartok's Romanian Folk Dances, Sibelius' patriotic love for Finland in Karelia Suite, and Smetana's famous depiction of the Vltava river in 'The Moldau'." Waddell is adamant about choosing symphonic repertoire that challenges CYS members and teaches them about the culture of belonging to a symphony orchestra.

Membership in the orchestra is by audition only. "Although we formally hold auditions in September each year, we encourage students who are interested in joining us to audition at any time", Waddell adds. The ensemble is nearly 80 members strong and includes both the full symphonic orchestra and a new training orchestra for beginning and intermediate string players. The Canton Youth Symphony welcomes woodwind, brass, and percussion players of intermediate to advanced levels and string players of all ages. Tickets for the concert are $7 for adults and $3 for students and are available by walkup beginning 30 minutes before the concert.

Founded in 1963, the Canton Youth Symphony is comprised of northeast Ohio students in grades 6-12, dedicated to performing concerts that enrich, educate and entertain. Under the direction of Rachel Waddell, the orchestra performs a wide variety of classical music. The Canton Youth Symphony performs 3 concerts each year and members have the opportunity to perform side-by-side with the Canton Symphony Orchestra on this year's Holiday Pops concert on December 7.

Photo Courtesy of the Canton Symphony Orchestra

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