The Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra is prepared to make their season debut on Sunday, December 16, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at the Perelman Theater at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The concert, conducted by Maestra Rosalind Erwin, blends selections from the great orchestral repertoire including an epic selection from the Nutcracker Ballet, all performed by the gifted members of the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra.

The afternoon opens with Giuseppe Verdi‘s Overture to I vespri siciliani (Sicilian Vespers), Franz Josef Haydn’s Symphony No. 83 in G Minor (La poule) and continues with the “Pas de deux” from from Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet Suite No 2. The concert closes with Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s tour de force for orchestra, Capriccio Espagnol.

Maestra Erwin greatly anticipates this opening concert. She said, “It is inspiring to observe our distinguished young musicians develop as they perfect the selections for our first concert. This is a highly motivated PYAO, whose members have a true passion for exceptional achievement.”

For more information, call 215-545-0502 or visit www.pyos.org.

Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra, PYO’s companion orchestra, prepares younger classical music students through a sophisticated repertoire and rigorous intellectual and musical discipline. PYAO further provides the opportunity to work with a highly experienced professional conductor, musicians, and teachers; to rehearse a standard orchestral repertoire at a professional level; and to perform in high-profile professional venues throughout the greater Philadelphia region. For nearly 20 years, PYAO has raised funds through performances to support organizations from throughout the region, including Reach Out and Read at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Youth Work Foundation of The Union League of Philadelphia. PYAO, conducted by Rosalind Erwin, was established in 1996 under a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Now in its 79th year of training tomorrow’s leaders, the renowned PYO Music Institute organization 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 PYO Music Institute notes that many members of the prestigious Philadelphia Orchestra are alumni. For more information, please visit www.pyos.org.

The anchor group is the PYO Music Institute (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.