This performance launches a series of four concerts by the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra’s most accomplished orchestra, the Boston Youth Symphony (BYS). Join this celebration of BYSO’s half-century-old mission to provide young musicians with the opportunity to pursue excellence in classical music. All of last year’s concerts were nearly or entirely sold out, including a gala concert featuring cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
The BYS chamber orchestras are renowned as one of the very few youth orchestras to perform full, semi-staged operas. In January, BYS will perform its second such opera at Sanders Theatre at Harvard University: Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, with members from Chorus pro Musica. In April, the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra performs Mahler’s momentous Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor at Symphony Hall. The season will conclude with performances of Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben and a BYS concerto competition winner.
View the full season schedule at www.BYSOweb.org. Tickets are $25 and $30; season subscribers receive up to a 25% discount.
Celebrating 10 years of music direction under Mr. Cortese, the BYSO will mark his anniversary with an impressive arrangement of repertoire for the talented youth musicians. “I am honored to have served the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra for a decade. BYSO strives for professional-level performance in an energizing atmosphere. I have been personally touched and indescribably impressed with the level of quality and dedication our players demonstrate in that effort,” said Mr. Cortese.
The BYSO consists of approximately 420 students from all six New England states and 126 communities. The accomplished musicians must compete annually for acceptance into this group of outstanding players who intensively rehearse a wide range of demanding orchestral repertoire. The BYS, the most advanced of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, includes more than 110 students.
Six percent of these BYS students entered the orchestra through the Intensive Community Program (ICP), the BYSO’s rigorous string instrument program that was founded 10 years ago and is dedicated to serving under-represented youth in the Boston area. -- www.bysoweb.org
