Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra Heads to Austria and Czech Republic on European Tour

The Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra (CSYO) departs on June 1 for a week-long European concert tour showcasing the talents of Central Ohio student musicians from nine local school districts to audiences in Austria and the Czech Republic.

Led by CSYO Music Director Elias Miller, an ensemble of 36 high-school performers will present works by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Elgar, and more. This summer's tour is the first time the CSYO has traveled abroad to perform since a 2005 tour to China.

“This concert tour is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some of our community's most promising young musicians to gain real-life performance experience in the cities where many of our greatest musical traditions originated,” said Meghan McDevitt, the Columbus Symphony's vice president for education. “Presenting an ambitious concert program overseas is excellent preparation for our students who wish to pursue music in higher education as well as professional music careers. They'll also have the opportunity to visit important historical sites that will enhance their understanding of music history and world history.”

Beginning in Salzburg, Austria, the CSYO group will visit Mozart's birthplace and attend a concert performed by professional musicians. In Vienna, the CSYO will perform in the stunning Minoritenkirche, completed in 1350. They'll also tour the House of Music, an interactive museum that delves into Vienna's rich classical traditions and explores the science of sound, as well as the city's Central Cemetery that is the final resting place for musical icons including Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, and more. In the Czech Republic's capital city, they'll visit Prague Castle, which dates to the 9th century, before performing at Prague Conservatory Hall.

“We're incredibly proud of our CSYO musicians and thrilled to see them share their talents with audiences around the world,” said Stephen Markovich, MD, chair of the Columbus Symphony Board of Trustees. “Music education is such an important part of the Columbus Symphony's mission to inspire and bring people together through music. This tour is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our vibrant community while building meaningful connections with new friends and music lovers overseas.”

The CSYO's concert program will include a wide range of challenging musical selections from a variety of styles and composers:

• Brahms: Hungarian Dances nos. 5 and 6
• Elgar: Serenade for Strings (movement II)
• Gabrieli: Canzon duodecimi toni a 8
• Hummel: Trumpet Concerto (with soloist Nolan Grosse, a senior at Grove City High School)
• Mendelssohn: Nocturne for Winds
• Mozart: Overture to The Magic Flute

This program will be performed twice during the tour:

• Friday, June 5 | 3PM | Minoritenkirche, Minoritenplatz 2A, 1010 Wien, Austria
• Sunday, June 7 | 7PM | Prague Conservatory, Na Rejdišti 1, 110 00 Praha 1, Czechia

CSYO members participating in the tour represent nine local school districts:

• Bexley City School District
• Dublin City School District
• Granville Exempted Village School District
• New Albany-Plain Local School District
• Olentangy Local School District
• Pickerington Local School District
• South-Western City School District
• Upper Arlington City School District
• Worthington City School District

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