Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Announces Annual Festival Concerts for 2005
PYO to perform Debussy's La Mer and Stravinsky's Firebird Suite in Verizon Hall at Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts on May 8
Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra to feature pianist Pauline Yang and trumpeter Matthew Kitzen-Abelson in Kimmel Center's Perlman Theater on May 15
Bravo Brass to perform with horn soloist Karen McCommon at Saint Stephen's Church on June 3
Philadelphia - April 18, 2005
The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and its companion ensembles will mark the PYO's 65th anniversary with three Annual Festival Concerts this spring. The concerts will showcase the extraordinary talent and accomplishments of the ensembles' total of 196 members, who range in age from 10 to 21. The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra will perform its 65th Anniversary concert in Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, May 8, at 3:00 p.m. The Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra will perform its 10th Anniversary concert in the Perlman Theater at The Kimmel Center on Sunday, May 15, at 3:00 p.m. Bravo Brass will perform its 2nd Anniversary concert at Saint Stephen's Church on Friday, June 3, at 8:00 p.m.
Joseph Primavera, now in his 51st season as Music Director, is the longest-serving music director of any orchestra anywhere in the world. At the Verizon Hall concert, Mr. Primavera will conduct the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra in a program that includes Brahms's Academic Festival Overture, Debussy's Nocturnes and La Mer, the Prelude from Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, and Stravinsky's Firebird Suite.
On May 15, Louis Scaglione will conduct the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra in his 10th season as its director. Featured soloists will be pianist Pauline Yang and PYO trumpet section leader Matthew Kitzen-Abelson. The program includes Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 in D major, Hummel's Concerto for Trumpet in E-flat major, Dvorák's Carnival, and "The Moldau" from Smetana's Ma Vlast.
Pauline Yang began her piano studies at the age of five, and won her first international piano competition at the age of seven in Washington, D.C. In March 1998, at the age of eleven, Pauline made her Philadelphia Orchestra debut in a performance of the Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 at the Academy of Music as a result of winning the Albert M. Greenfield Student Competition. In the same month, Pauline made her solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall. Pauline is currently a senior at East Brunswick High School, where she is the Secretary General of the Model United Nations team, a member of both the National Honor Society and the National Italian Honor Society, a member of the varsity swim team, an AP Scholar and an Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholar.
Trumpet soloist Matthew Kitzen-Abelson is a senior at 21st Century Cyber Charter School. He is the PYO's trumpet section leader, a member of Bravo Brass, and lead trumpet in the Jazz Band at Perkiomen Valley High School. Matthew won first prize in the high school division of the 2005 National Trumpet Competition, and third prize in the 2004 National Trumpet Competition. This past December, Matthew was invited to perform in a joint master class with Philadelphia Orchestra principal trumpet David Bilger and jazz trumpeter Claudio Roditi. Matthew will enroll this fall at The Curtis Institute of Music, where he will major in trumpet performance.
Paul Bryan conducts the Bravo Brass in his second season as its director, in a program that includes works by Bach, Handel, Grieg, Rimsky-Korsakov, and several other composers. Susan Salimen's Concerto for Horn and Brass Ensemble will feature soloist Karen McCommon, one of the Bravo Brass faculty coaches.
A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Ms. McCommon is currently very active in the Philadelphia area music scene. She holds the position of principal horn with the Delaware Symphony Orchestra and is a member of The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, with which she has appeared as a soloist. She has also performed with Boston Brass and Philadelphia Brass, and has worked with many other ensembles including, among others, the Philadelphia Singers, OperaDelaware, Choral Arts Society, and the orchestra of the Prince Theater. In addition to her busy performing schedule, Ms. McCommon serves on the faculties of Immaculata College, Temple University Music Prep, and the Wilmington Music School.
Sunday, May 8, 2005 - 3:00 p.m.
65th Annual Festival Concert
Philadelphia Youth Orchestra
Joseph Primavera, conductor
Brahms Academic Festival Overture
Debussy Nocturnes
Debussy La Mer
Humperdinck "Prelude" from Hansel and Gretel
Stravinsky Firebird Suite (1919 version)
Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Broad and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia
Tickets $10 - $25
215.893.1999 or www.kimmelcenter.org
Sunday, May 15, 2005 - 3:00 p.m.
10th Annual Festival Concert
Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra
Louis Scaglione, conductor
Pauline Yang, piano
Matthew Kitzen-Abelson, trumpet
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor
Hummel Concerto for Trumpet in E-flat major
Dvorák Carnival
Smetana "The Moldau" from Ma Vlast
Perelman Theater at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Broad and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia
Tickets $10 - $20
215.893.1999 or www.kimmelcenter.org
Friday, June 3, 2005 - 8:00 p.m.
2nd Annual Festival Concert
Bravo Brass
Paul Bryan, conductor
Karen McCommon, horn
Janacek "Sokol Fanfare" from Sinfonietta
Kane Echoes From Gabrieli
Carmichael (arr. Custer) Georgia on My Mind
J.S. Bach (trans. Bricault) Fugue Two from Well Tempered Clavier, Volume One
Nelhybel Duet
Shaw Fripperies
Traditional Back to the Fair
(arr. Reichenbach)
Handel (arr. Horton) "Sound an Alarm" from Judas Maccabeus
Rimsky-Korsakov "Procession of the Nobles" from Mlada
(arr. Snell)
Salminen Concerto for Horn and Brass Ensemble
Morley Now is the Month of Maying
Grieg Funeral March
Diaz (arr. Smedvig) Lauda Jerusalem
Saint Stephen's Church
19 South 10th Street, Philadelphia
ADMISSION FREE
215.435.1698
Founded in 1939, the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra has offered the opportunity for gifted and talented students to be involved in extraordinary music education through its orchestra training and performance programs. It is one of the oldest youth orchestras in the country. Its companion ensembles include the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra, formed in 1996, and Bravo Brass, added to the program in 2003. Ranging in age from 10 through 21 years, the musicians of the three ensembles are selected by competitive audition and come from the Delaware Valley and beyond. The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra has represented the United States on five continents and has visited more than 20 countries including China, Russia, Australia, Great Britain, Jordan, Israel, Brazil, Venezuela, and most of the countries of Eastern and Central Europe. PYO alumni currently serve in all but a few of the top 20 professional US orchestras, including 16 in The Philadelphia Orchestra alone.