Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra Returns To Concerts For 2021-22

The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO) and its music director Vinay Parameswaran announced details of the 2021-22 season. The Youth Orchestra, under Mr. Parameswaran's direction, will return to performing in person after a season spent meeting remotely. The ensemble will perform a three-concert series in the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Concert Hall at Severance on November 21, 2021, February 20, 2022, and May 8, 2022 . The concerts in February and May include the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus. Individual tickets are on sale now.

The 2021-22 season marks Vinay Parameswaran's fifth as music director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and as associate conductor of The Cleveland Orchestra. Parameswaran was promoted from assistant conductor in January, 2021.

"One of the most exciting occasions this fall is the return of COYO to Severance," said Parameswaran. "This orchestra is one of the gems of Northeast Ohio, and this talented group confirms that the future of classical music is bright. I cannot wait for our audiences to see and hear these young musicians shine."

During the 2020-21 season, COYO was unable to hold in-person concerts due to the pandemic. Across that time period, the musicians participated in a host of enriching experiences, such as seminars with Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Franz Welser-Möst; score studies and conversations with composers John Adams, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Jesse Montgomery; audition preparation; and virtual coaching sessions. In June, COYO musicians and coaches were able to meet in-person at Blossom Music Center for a rehearsal and private performance for friends and family.

The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra's return to the Mandel Concert Hall stage at Severance for the 2021-22 season will take place on Sunday, November 21, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. with a program featuring works by three American composers: Joan Tower, Howard Swanson, and Aaron Copland. The afternoon concludes with Dvořák's dramatic Symphony No. 7.

The Youth Orchestra's Severance concert series continues on Sunday, February 20, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. with music by contemporary American composer Jennifer Higdon and Spanish composer Manuel De Falla. On Sunday, May 8, 2022 at 7:00 p.m., COYO will perform with the to-be-announced winner of its annual concerto competition (held among COYO musicians), as well as Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances.

The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus joins the Youth Orchestra on the February and May concerts, continuing the longstanding partnership between the two ensembles. The February concert includes choral works by Beethoven and Mozart, while May's concert includes the Severance debut of music by Indian-American composer Reena Esmail.

As part of an ongoing partnership with Ideastream Public Media to provide greater access to music and culture, WCLV Classical 104.9 will present broadcasts on-air and online of each of the three COYO concerts at Severance during the 2021-22 season. For broadcast information, visit wclv.ideastream.org.

The Under 18s Free ticket program is available for all COYO performances. The Under 18s Free program offers complimentary tickets (one per regular-priced adult paid admission) to young people ages 7-17. Under 18s Free is a program for young people, supported by The Cleveland Orchestra's Center for Future Audiences. The Center, created with a lead endowment gift from the Maltz Family Foundation, was established to fund programs to develop new generations of audiences for Cleveland Orchestra concerts in Northeast Ohio.

Individual performance tickets are available for $15 per seat or $25 for a box seat. For more information or to order tickets, call Cleveland Orchestra Ticket Services at 216-231-1111 or 800-686-1141, email boxoffice@clevelandorchestra.com, or order online at clevelandorchestra.com. Parking is available for $15.