Philadelphia Youth Orchestra's PRYSM to Present 8th Annual Festival Concert, 5/16

For the young students of PRYSM, the premier Philadelphia Youth Orchestra ensemble for beginner and intermediate string students ages 6-17, there is a palpable feeling of excitement in the air. These young musicians are hard at work preparing to present their 8th Annual Festival Concert on Saturday, May 16, at 3 p.m., in Centennial Hall at The Haverford School, 750 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA. Performing under the direction of esteemed conductor and Philadelphia Orchestra cellist Gloria DePasquale, PRYSM's musicians will be joined by the up-and-coming students of PRYSM Young Artists, conducted by Jessica Villante.

The concert lineup will include the light and cheerful composition Serenade for Strings by Josef Suk; selections from Felix Mendelssohn's Octet for Strings, which the composer described as his favorite composition; and Béla Bartók's Romanian Folk Dances, a complex and diverse composition that was inspired by authentic Romanian folk music.

Maestra DePasquale looks forward to the 8th Annual Festival Concert with equal parts pride and enthusiasm. "Our young musicians have really dedicated themselves to mastering what are extraordinarily challenging compositions for students of this age," she explains. "We are thrilled to provide them an opportunity to share with the audience what they have accomplished this season."

Tickets for PRYSM's 8th Annual Festival Concert are available for $15/general admission by calling 215.545.0502.

Philadelphia Region Youth String Music offers unparalleled, personalized instruction, mentorship, and educational support for the region's beginning to intermediate string students, under the direction of the highly respected Philadelphia Orchestra cellist Gloria dePasquale, with performance opportunities alongside faculty and in ensemble concerts with musicians from the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Founded in 1939, The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) organization, under the executive and music directorship of Louis Scaglione, is proud to celebrate its 75th Anniversary season. One of the nation's oldest youth orchestral and college preparatory music education institutions for gifted and talented students, the PYO is recognized throughout America for its outstanding musicianship.

The PYO, based in the tri-state region, affords its students unique opportunities to perform with the most talented, professional musicians in the area. Under the guidance of a prestigious faculty that includes members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, students grow as individuals with a keen sense of discipline and positive social interaction that prepares them for many aspects of living a successful life and provides them an impressive college preparatory credential.

The organization's flagship ensemble, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO), provides the most talented students with advanced orchestral training and performance opportunities throughout the concert season. There are three PYO companion ensembles that include the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra (PYAO), formed in 1996; Bravo Brass, added to the program in 2003; and Philadelphia Region Youth String Music (PRYSM) created in 2007. Young musicians (ages 6-21) are selected by competitive audition and have represented the United States on five continents. PYO offers classical musical performances throughout the Greater Philadelphia region each year. In addition, the organization is a frontrunner in supporting musical education for children from Philadelphia's most vulnerable and under-resourced neighborhoods through the organization's outreach program, Tune Up Philly. For additional information and upcoming events, visit pyos.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.