2022-2023 Performance Schedule Announced For Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute

The nationally respected Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute (PYOMI) returns for its 83rd Season determined to resume its energetic, high pace schedule of performances by young musicians. With two new ensembles - Philadelphia Youth Symphonic Band and Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra, the Institute is extending more unparalleled performance experiences and opportunities to a larger, more diverse student population across the tri-state area. Season highlights include a series of seven concerts at the Kimmel Cultural Campus; a PYO world premiere of Sheridan Seyfried's (PYO '2002) work Flourishes and Dreams; a solo performance by the winner of the PYAO Young Artists Solo Competition; the return of the Tenth Annual Ovation Award honoring music educators; guests artist performances by cellist Gloria dePasquale (Philadelphia Orchestra, 1977-2022) with Elgar's Concerto for Cello and bassist Ranann Meyer with his own composition: Concerto for My Family.

Louis Scaglione, President and Music Director, takes great pride in the growth of PYOMI and this extraordinary schedule of performances. He says, "It's an exciting year for PYOMI as we offer additional opportunities for young musicians. We are proud to have Patrick Bailey serve as the Director and Conductor of Philadelphia Youth Symphonic Band and PYO alumnus Justin Faulkner, a nationally respected jazz artist who is a drummer with the Branford Marsalis Quartet, taking the lead as Director of Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra. We welcome them to our distinguished faculty and look forward to adding jazz and band to our classical line up."

The talented musicians in each ensemble gain exceptional musical training with many opportunities to perform in professional venues across the greater Philadelphia region. Students go on to excel in many diverse fields, including performance careers with major orchestras. A testament to this is the 10 PYO Alumni who are current members of the prestigious Philadelphia Orchestra.

The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute is the tri-state region's premier youth orchestra organization for gifted, young, classical musicians, and one of the oldest and most highly regarded youth orchestra organizations in the United States. For 83 years, the PYO Music Institute has been providing professional-caliber musical experiences to young instrumentalists, while thrilling audiences in the Greater Philadelphia region and across the globe.

The organization has nine programs: Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO), Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra (PYAO), Young Musicians Debut Orchestra (YMDO), Bravo Brass, Prysm Strings, Pizzicato Players, Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra (PYJO), Philadelphia Youth Symphonic Band (PYSB), and Tune Up Philly - Orchestral Pathways Program, an El Sistema-inspired program. Ranging in age from 5 to 21 years, the musicians of the PYO Music Institute are selected by competitive audition and come from a 70-mile radius of Philadelphia encompassing nearly 20 counties within Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Through advanced orchestra repertoire, students are challenged to perform at professional levels, to strive for advanced musicianship, and to achieve superior technical, musical, and personal application. Former PYOMI musicians currently hold chairs in most of the top 20 professional orchestras in the United States, with 10 PYO alumni currently serving in The Philadelphia Orchestra.

Extraordinary artistic leadership is a hallmark of the PYO Music Institute. Adolph Sorian (1940-1941), J.W.F. Leman (1941-1952), William R. Smith (1952-1954), and Joseph Primavera (1954-2005) served as Music Directors, with Maestro Primavera having had the extraordinary distinction of being the longest-serving active conductor of any orchestra in the world. Louis Scaglione, appointed in 1997 by Maestro Primavera and the PYOMI Board of Trustees, continues the legacy of leadership, currently serving as the PYO Music Institute's President, CEO and Music Director.

For more information, please visit www.pyos.org.

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