Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra to Perform Concert, 2/28

February 23, 2016 - Richmond, Virginia The annual tradition continues when the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra (RSYO) shares the stage with the Richmond Symphony musicians on Sunday, February 28 at 4:00pm. Together they will play side by side, creating a 120 member orchestra! Hear selections from Sibelius, Dvo?ák, and Tchaikovsky in a concert featuring RSYO cellist, Jason Hwang. Hwang is the winner of the 2015 Richmond Symphony Orchestra League Concerto Competition. The performance will be held at the Carpenter Theatre Dominion Arts Center and led by Richmond Symphony Music Director Steven Smith.

The Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra, led by Associate Conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin, offers a pre-college orchestra experience for the serious musician. To gain entrance into the ensemble, students from across the Central Virginia region must compete in a competitive audition process each spring. Students in the program hold themselves to a high level of discipline, preparation and musicianship.

Admission to this concert is free with no ticket required.

Finlandia, Opus 26

Concerto in B Minor for Cello and Orchestra, Opus 104

I. Allegro

Jason Hwang, cello

Selections from Swan Lake Suite, Opus 20a I. Scène

1. Dance of the Swans

2. Scène

3. Hungarian Dance (Czardas)

4. Spanish Dance

VIII. Mazurka II. Valse

About Jason Hwang

Jason Hwang is a sophomore at Clover Hill High School. Since 2006, he has studied cello with Dana McComb. He has been a member of the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra since the first grade, and has participated in Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program chamber ensembles. In 2010 and 2012, Jason competed in the ASTA Competition. Jason has attended master classes with Joel Krosnick, Peter Wiley, Paul Watkins, Irene Sharp, and Clive Greensmith. Jason earned first chair in the cello section in the South Central Virginia Senior Regional Orchestra (SRO) in 2014, and participated in the Virginia All-State Orchestra in 2015. His prizes include second place at the Bland Competition in 2013, first place at Competition 360 in Cellopaloosa V in 2013, alternate in the 2013 MTNA Junior Strings State Competition, first place in the 2014-2015 MTNA Junior Strings State Competition, National Finalist for the MTNA Junior Strings Competition, and first place in the 45th annual student concerto competition sponsored by the Richmond Symphony Orchestra League in 2015.

History of Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program

The Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program was created in the spring of 1962 and is the oldest youth orchestra in Virginia. Leaders of the newly formed Richmond Symphony partnered with Richmond Public Schools to offer music students the opportunity to participate in a full orchestra experience and provide an exemplary orchestral experience for young musicians.

The Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program (YOP) provides quality musical opportunities for student musicians. More than 250 school-aged musicians within a 100-mile radius of Richmond rehearse weekly with one of the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program's four ensembles. YOP is recognized as central Virginia's premier orchestral training program and is in the forefront of the local arts community with a busy concert schedule that includes fall, winter and spring concerts for all of its ensembles.

The Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program is committed to training young musicians, nurturing future performers and developing new audiences. We encourage and welcome everyone, whether a first-time listener or a seasoned concert-goer, to experience the magic of our talented young musicians performing together. YOP alumni can be found in major orchestras around the world including the Richmond Symphony! Many of our alumni become professional musicians, many become music teachers, while others pursue careers unrelated to the arts and aspire to major leadership roles in their communities.

About the Richmond Symphony

Founded in 1957, the Richmond Symphony is the largest performing arts organization in Central Virginia. The organization includes an orchestra of more than 70 professional musicians, the 150-voice Richmond Symphony Chorus and more than 260 students in the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra programs. Each season, more than 200,000 members of the community enjoy concerts, and radio broadcasts. The Symphony also provides educational outreach programs to over 50,000 students and teachers each year. The Richmond Symphony is partially funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.