NPR Selects Two Pacific Symphony Youth Ensemble Musicians to Perform on National Broadcast

Two members of Pacific Symphony Youth Ensembles (PSYE) have been chosen to appear on National Public Radio's (NPR) highly acclaimed national broadcast, "From the Top," which celebrates the power of music in the hands of extraordinary young people.

The two young musicians who won spots on the show are 12-year-old violinist and member of Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings (PSSS), Chunyi Zhou, and 17-year old percussionist and member of Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra (PSYO), Jeremy Davis. Zhou will be performing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Disney Hall on March 9 for broadcast release on May 28. Davis will be flown to Boston, Mass., on Feb. 11 to perform at the New England Conservatory of Music's Jordan Hall (orchestra TBD) for release on March 19.

The release dates indicate when the shows become available to NPR stations and on the NPR website as podcasts. Listeners should check their local NPR station listing for the local broadcast dates; "From the Top" airs locally on KUSC, 91.5 FM, Sundays at 6 p.m. For more information about PSYE, contact Shawne Zarubica, director of youth ensembles, at (714) 876-2346 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.

Aired on nearly 250 stations nationwide to an audience of approximately 700,000 listeners, the popular show, "From the Top," hosted by acclaimed concert pianist Christopher O'Riley, aims to unleash the potential of young musicians as leaders in the arts, trumpet the role of music to affect and enrich lives, and inspire and build new audiences with a deeper appreciation for classical music. Recommended for ages 7 and up, the 90-minute concert-format brings its audience inside the experience of a recording of the show, where young musicians from across America perform and share stories with O'Riley. Described by The Boston Globe as entertaining, accessible and inspirational," "From the Top" programs include several high-caliber performances, interviews, sketches and games to show off the performers' unique personalities.

"We are truly thrilled for our young players and couldn't be more proud of them," comments the Symphony's director of youth ensembles, Shawne Zarubica. First approached last fall by NPR, Zarubica was asked for recommendations of outstanding students from the Symphony's Youth Ensembles programs-PSYO, PSSS and Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble (PSYWE)-to try out for a limited number of audition slots (eight) for "From the Top" national broadcast programming.