Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Announces 2017-18 Season

Now in its 78th season, The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) has a full schedule of performances for its six program divisions.

One of the oldest and most highly regarded youth orchestra organizations in America, PYO is dedicated to excellence, transformative education, and access for student instrumentalists. The talented musicians in each ensemble gain exceptional musical training with many opportunities to perform that showcase the musicians.

Louis Scaglione, President and Music Director, continues to be impressed by the quality of student musicians who are members of PYO as well as their dedication to the music. He said, "It gives me great pride to work with our students each year whose motivation to excel is apparent at every level. Being dedicated to music performance demonstrates many intrinsic skills - their ability to take direction and to work well with peers, their passion to learn and grow as musicians and as good citizens. I am honored to be able to work with such outstanding leaders who are the program directors of PYO, some of the finest musicians and educators in America, which is a privilege for our students. Our students thrive under the faculty's guidance, which is apparent at any of our performances."

Training tomorrow's leaders, the student population of PYO reaches across the tri-state area. Students go on to excel in many diverse fields, as well as develop performance careers with major orchestras, with many members of the prestigious Philadelphia Orchestra being PYO alumni.

From November until June, audiences enjoy outstanding classical concerts that offer the talented young musicians invaluable opportunities to perform in professional venues. There is a full schedule of performances throughout the year, which are listed below. The season opens with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra conducted by Scaglione in a major concert that showcases this year's great student talent.

PYO is comprised of six independent program ensembles designed to meet specific needs and experience levels of students selected through a competitive audition process. The anchor group is the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO), conducted by President and Music Director Louis Scaglione, featuring 120 gifted instrumentalists who range in age from 14-21. Young musicians 12-18 years old are featured in PYO's companion ensemble, the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra, which is led by Director and Conductor Maestra Rosalind Erwin, who is Music Director and Conductor of Drexel University Orchestra. Philadelphia Young Musicians Orchestra (PYMO), directed by Maestro Kenneth Bean, is a beginning to intermediate-level full symphonic orchestra that provides most students with their first introduction to large orchestral playing featuring students age 10-17 years old. Bravo Brass, directed by Curtis Institute Dean of Faculty and Students, Paul Bryan, is an all brass ensemble for promising middle and high-school instrumentalists. PRYSM (Philadelphia Region Youth String Music) and PRYSM Young Artists ensembles provide string large ensemble and sectional master class instruction for beginning and intermediate musicians ages 6-14. The director and conductor of PRYSM is Gloria DePasquale, cellist with The Philadelphia Orchestra, and conductor of PRYSM Young Artists is Andrea Weber. Tune Up Philly (TUP) is PYO's engagement program, directed by Paul Smith, that focuses on creating and inspiring true community by providing children in under-resourced communities with invaluable opportunities to learn and perform a differentiated orchestral music curriculum. For more information, visit www.pyos.org.

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CONCERT SCHEDULE:

Sunday, November 19, 2017 - 3:00 p.m.

PHILADELPHIA YOUTH ORCHESTRA

Louis Scaglione, Conductor

Bernstein Overture to Candide

Debussy La mer

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Broad and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, Pa.

Tickets: $15 - $25

Ticket Philadelphia: 215.893.1999

Sunday, December 10, 2017 - 3:00 p.m.

Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra

Rosalind Erwin, Conductor

Dukas Fanfare from La péri

Beethoven Symphony No. 2

Tchaikovsky Excerpt from Nutcracker Ballet Suite No. 2

Listz Les préludes

Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center for the

Performing Arts

Broad and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, Pa.

Tickets: $10 - $20

Ticket Philadelphia: 215.893.1999

Saturday, December 16, 2017 - 7:30 p.m.

BRAVO BRASS

Paul Bryan, Conductor

"Twas the Brass Before Christmas"

St. Mark's Church, 1625 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

Tickets: $15 General Admission; Students Under 18, Free

Information: 215.545.0502

Sunday, December 17, 2017 - 3:00 p.m.

Bravo Brass

Paul Bryan, Conductor

"Twas the Brass Before Christmas"

Saint Mary's Episcopal Church, 145 West Broad Street Street, Burlington, NJ

Information: 215.545.0502

Goodwill Offering

Saturday, January 20, 2018 - 1:00 p.m.

Tune Up Philly

Paul Smith, Conductor

Studio selections featuring traditional dances and folk melodies

The Temple Performing Arts Center, 1837 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

Information: 215.545.0502

FREE ADMISSION

Saturday, January 20, 2018 - 4:00 p.m.

Philadelphia Young Musicians Orchestra

Kenneth Bean, Conductor

W.A. Mozart Overture to Don Giovanni

Fauré Pavane

Brahms Hungarian Dances Nos. 3 & 5

Beethoven Symphony No. 1

The Temple Performing Arts Center, 1837 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

Information: 215.545.0502

FREE ADMISSION

Saturday, February 3, 2018 - 2:00 p.m.

PRYSM

Gloria dePasquale, Conductor

PRYSM Young Artists

Andrea Weber, Conductor

Warlock Capriol Suite

Grieg Two Norwegian Airs

Rossini String Sonata No. 3

Centennial Hall - The Haverford School, 750 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, Pa.

Tickets: $15 General Admission; Students Under 18, Free

Information: 215.545.0502

Sunday, February 18, 2018 - 3:00 p.m.

Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra

Rosalind Erwin, Conductor

Brahms Academic Festival Overture

Ravel Ma Mere l'Oye

Franck Symphony in D minor

Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Broad and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, Pa.

Tickets: $10 - $20

Ticket Philadelphia: 215.893.1999

Sunday, February 25, 2018 - 3:00 p.m.

Philadelphia Youth Orchestra

Louis Scaglione, Conductor

Brahms Symphony No. 3

Stravinsky Petrushka (1947 version)

Ravel La valse

Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Broad and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, Pa.

Tickets: $15 - $25

Ticket Philadelphia: 215.893.1999

Saturday, March 3, 2018 - 7:30 p.m.

Bravo Brass

Paul Bryan, Conductor

"Bach on Brass"

Music of the master arranged for brass

St. Mark's Church, 1625 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

Tickets: $15 General Admission; Students Under 18, Free

Information: 215.545.0502

Sunday, March 4, 2018 - 3:00 p.m.

Bravo Brass

Paul Bryan, Conductor

"Bach on Brass"

Music of the master arranged for brass

Saint Mary's Episcopal Church, 145 West Broad Street Street, Burlington, NJ

Information: 215.545.0502

Goodwill Offering

Sunday, March 25, 2018 - 3:00 p.m.

2018 PYO Showcase Performance

Philadelphia Youth Orchestra

Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra

Philadelphia Young Musicians Orchestra

PRYSM

PRYSM Young Artists

Bravo Brass

Tune Up Philly

Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Broad and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, Pa.

Tickets: $15 - $25

Ticket Philadelphia: 215.893.1999

Friday, April 13, 2018 - 6:00 p.m.

2018 PYO Gala Dinner and Concert

Philadelphia Youth Orchestra

Louis Scaglione, Conductor

Bravo Brass

Paul Bryan, Conductor

Tune Up Philly

Paul Smith, Conductor

Saturday, May 12, 2018 - 2:00 p.m.

PRYSM

11th Annual Festival Concert

Gloria DePasquale, Conductor

PRYSM Young Artists

Andrea Weber, Conductor

Holst Saint Paul's Suite

Halvorsen Passacaglia for String Orchestra

Elgar Serenade for Strings

Centennial Hall - The Haverford School, 750 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, Pa.

Tickets: $15 General Admission; Students Under 18, Free

Information: 215.545.0502

Sunday, May 13, 2018 - 3:00 p.m.

Philadelphia Youth Artists Orchestra

23rd Annual Festival Concert

Rosalind Erwin, Conductor

Young Artists Solo Competition Winner

Copland Appalachian Spring

Dvo?ák Symphony No. 9

Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Broad and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, Pa.

Tickets: $10 - $20

Ticket Philadelphia: 215.893.1999

Saturday, May 26, 2018 - 1:00 p.m.

Tune Up Philly

8th Annual Festival Concert

Paul Smith, Conductor

Featuring works by J.S. Bach, Handel, Satie, Stevie Wonder, and more!

The Temple Performing Arts Center, 1837 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

Information: 215.545.0502

FREE ADMISSION

Saturday, May 26, 2018 - 4 p.m.

Philadelphia Young Musicians Orchestra

2nd Annual Festival Concert

Kenneth Bean, Conductor

Verdi Overture to La forza del destino

Warlock Capriol Suite

Grieg Peer Gynt Suite No. 1

Schubert Symphony No. 8

The Temple Performing Arts Center, 1837 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

Information: 215.545.0502

FREE ADMISSION

Saturday, June 2, 2018 - 7:30 p.m.

Bravo Brass

15th Annual Festival Concert

Paul Bryan, Conductor

"Brass by Popular Demand"

Bravo Brass concertgoers select the evening's repertoire

St. Mark's Church, 1625 Locust Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

Tickets: $15 General Admission; Students Under 18, Free

Information: 215.545.0502

Sunday, June 10, 2018

Philadelphia Youth Orchestra

78th Annual Festival Concert

Fifth Annual Ovation Award

Louis Scaglione, Conductor

World Premiere- Second Annual Young Composers Competition Winner

Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story

R. Strauss Ein Heldenleben

Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Broad and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, Pa.

Tickets: $15 - $25

Ticket Philadelphia: 215.893.1999

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