Ten Students From Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Named To All Star Music Program

Being named to The School District of Philadelphia's All-City Music Program is a great honor, and this year 10 members of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) have competed and have received honors in the All-City Concerto Competition. ? ?The All-City Music Program is audition based and consists of a full symphonic orchestra, concert band, and choir and includes the top performing student musicians within The School District of Philadelphia.

Hannah Silverberg, who won the Concerto Competition, will perform with the All City High School Orchestra at the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall as part of the All City High School Music Festival on Wednesday, March 8, 2017, 7:30 P.M. Hannah is a 12th grade student at Girard Academic Music Program, and lives in center city Philadelphia. She recently began studying privately with David Cramer, Associate Principal Flute of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Hannah also serves as Flute Section Leader of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra.

Here is a list of students who competed and were honored:

FIRST PLACE WINNER

Hannah Silverberg, 17, PYO, Flute, ?Girard Academic Music Program

RUNNERS-UP (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER):
Akili Farrow, 17, PYO, Violin, String Theory High School

Nathan Kim, 16, Cello, PYO, J.R. Masterman

HONORABLE MENTION (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER):
Gia Angelo, 18, Phila. Young Artists Orchestra (PYAO), Viola, Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter High School
David Hiester, 16, PYAO, Bassoon, Central High School

William Klotsas, 18, PYO, Clarinet, Creative and Performing Arts High School of Philadelphia
Marquise Lindsey-Bradley, 15, PYAO, Clarinet, Creative And Performing Arts High School
Dotan Yarden, 18, PYO, Bassoon, ?Creative And Performing Arts High School

PARTICIPANTS OF MERIT (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER):
Sophia Kelsall, 17, PYO, String Bass, Creative And Performing Arts High School
Derrick Pondexter, 17, PYO, Violin, Creative And Performing Arts High School

Louis Scaglione, President and Music Director of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) organization, is very proud of these 10 students who were selected in the competition. He said, "Philadelphia's All-City Music Program is an excellent opportunity for students to perform with other students throughout Philadelphia. It is another indication of the kind of dedication our students have for music and their motivation to do their best through practice and participation in varied performances. We congratulate our students, especially Hannah Silverberg, and are pleased that PYO has such a large representation in The School District of Philadelphia's All-City Music Program this year."

About Philadelphia's All-City Program:

For over 70 years, the All-City Program has been dedicated to opening doors and broadening educational and vocational horizons for students in Philadelphia. Its alumni include musicians in orchestras around the country, including The Philadelphia Orchestra. Previously under the direction of Don Liuzzi, Principal Timpanist of The Philadelphia Orchestra, The All-City Orchestra is currently under the leadership of Joseph Conyers, Assistant Principal Bass of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

About the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra:

Now in its 77th year, training tomorrow's leaders, the renowned Philadelphia Youth Orchestra organization, led by President and Music Director, Maestro Louis Scaglione, is one of the nation's oldest and most respected community music education and youth orchestra performance programs, providing talented young musicians from across the tri-state area with exceptional musical training. Students go on to excel in many diverse fields, and it is with pride that Philadelphia Youth Orchestra notes that many members of the prestigious Philadelphia Orchestra are alumni. The organization is comprised of six 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. www.pyos.org.

(Photo Credit: Philadelphia Youth Orchestra FB)