NYS Music 2023

Tag: The Empire State Youth Orchestra

  • The Empire State Youth Orchestra Announces the 2023-24 Concert Season

    The Empire State Youth Orchestra are excited to announce their upcoming 2023-2024 season entitled ‘Breathe!’ The first concert of the season begins with a performance by the ESYO featuring William Lauricella on Saturday, October 29 at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

    The Empire State Youth Orchestra challenges and inspires young people to achieve excellence through music in a progressive learning environment leading to high-level performance opportunities.  More than 500 youth from New York’s Capital Region and western New England are selected by audition each year to perform in ESYO. With 14 performing ensembles and orchestras suiting a range of playing levels, members receive training from outstanding conductors and coaches, and tutelage from extraordinary guest artists.

    In 2015, ESYO launched CHIME (Creating Harmony Inspiring Musical Excellence) in Schenectady to address fundamental inequities preventing universal access to high level music opportunities for youth. Today, this free music program serves more than 150 students in partnership with the Schenectady and Albany City School Districts. 

    Founded in 1979, ESYO is a not-for-profit organization that has been recognized as a premier music education/performance program for youth and has received three ASCAP awards.

    “I think of music like a living thing: we can explore how it breathes, and we can tune into its pulse, If an orchestra doesn’t breathe, it’s not really alive. This year, we will breathe more fully with each other and with the music, so we can live in the present moment and truly connect with each other and the world around us.”

    – Etienne Abelin Symphony Orchestra Conductor

    The engaging performance series is a celebration of unity, harmony and the collective spirit of music, allowing musicians and audiences to breathe together in the shared experience of live orchestral performances. In addition, the musicians will explore various interpretations of breath through the repertoire under an authoritarian regime. This season will challenge ESYO musicians to learn and perform a piece on stage without a conductor giving them the opportunity to sense the pulse, embody the music, breathe and work together as a whole. The public is invited to celebrate these outstanding musicians and savor the joy and magic of their live musical talent.

    Ticket information, venue details, and the full concert schedule is available at esyo.org/news-concerts.

    ESYO 2023-2024 Concert Season

    Oct 29th, 2023 – EMPIRE STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERT FEATURING WILLIAM LAURICELLA – Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

    Nov 5, 2023 – REPERTORY ORCHESTRA, STRING ORCHESTRA, AND CONCERTINO STRINGS – Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

    Nov 5, 2023 – PERCUSSION ENSEMBLES – Brown School, Schenectady

    Nov 19, 2023 – YOUTH AND REPERTORY JAZZ ORCHESTRAS – Carl B. Taylor Community Auditorium, SUNY Schenectady

    Dec 10, 2023 – WIND ORCHESTRA CHAMBER MUSIC – Massry Center for the Arts, College of St. Rose

    Dec 14-17, 2023 – MELODIES OF CHRISTMAS FEATURING ESYO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND MELODIES OF CHRISTMAS CHORALE – Produced by CBS 6 at Proctors Theater, Schenectady

    Dec 17, 2023 – PERCUSSION ENSEMBLES HOLIDAY CONCERT – Massry Center for the Arts, College of St. Rose

    Feb 14, 2024 – REPERTORY ORCHESTRA AND CONCERTINO STRINGS – Location TBD

    Feb 15, 2024 – STRING AND YOUTH JAZZ ORCHESTRAS – Carl B. Taylor Community Auditorium, SUNY Schenectady

    March 10, 2024  – WIND ORCHESTRA AND REPERTORY JAZZ ORCHESTRA – Massry Center for the Arts, College of St. Rose

    March 11, 2024 – FESTIVAL OF CONTEMPORARY MUSIC WITH ESYO PERCUSSION ENSEMBLES – University of Albany Performing Arts Center

    March 23, 2024 – PLAYATHON – Crossgates Mall 

    April 21, 2024 – SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FEATURING THE 2024 CONCERTO COMPETITION WINNER – Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

    May 4, 2024 –  REPERTORY ORCHESTRA AND STRING ORCHESTRA – Zankel Music Center – Skidmore

    May 5, 2024 – CONCERTINO STRINGS, WOODWINDS AND BRASS ENSEMBLES – Location TBD

    May 5, 2024 – PERCUSSION ENSEMBLES AND CONCERTINO PERCUSSION – Brown School

    May 10, 2024 – YOUTH AND REPERTORY JAZZ ORCHESTRAS – Carl B. Taylor Community Auditorium, SUNY Schenectady

    May 12, 2024 – WIND ORCHESTRA CHAMBER ORCHESTRA AND CHAMBER MUSIC – Massry Center for the Arts, College of St. Rose

    June 2, 2024 – FESTIVAL OF YOUNG ARTISTS – Saratoga Performing Arts Center

  • ESYO Returns to Carnegie Hall this June

    They’ve practiced, practiced, practiced, and Empire State Youth Orchestra’s (ESYO) Symphony Orchestra, a prominent youth ensemble, made it to Carnegie Hall. The concert marks the first time ESYO has performed at Carnegie Hall since the beginning of the pandemic, returning for the first time since 2017. The symphony orchestra will perform a joint concert with Norwalk Youth Symphony at Carnegie Hall on June 4, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.

    ESYO aims to inspire young musicians to excel in a progressive learning environment, offering high-level performance opportunities. Over 500 youth from New York’s Capital Region and western New England are selected by audition each year.

    ESYO will conclude their 2022-2023 season at Carnegie Hall with Tchaikovsky’s extraordinary fifth Symphony and Verdi’s Nabucco Overture. Music Director Etienne Abelin described the upcoming performance as “emotional, powerful music,” resonating deeply with the young musicians. The young ensemble eagerly anticipates the incredible opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall. Principal double bass Orin Carlson-Lee described the momentus occasion as “not just a concert but a celebration of hard work, dedication, and the magic of music.”

    While The Carnegie Hall concert will close ESYO’s 2022-2023 season, there are no shortage of ESYO events this summer. Encore Stage will celebrate graduating ESYO students on June 17. The event aims to showcase the senior class, their talent, and accomplishments. Senior-led groups will perform throughout the afternnoon, scholarships will be awarded, and an alumni speaker will offer words of wisdom to graduating members. Alum and founer of Bassworks, Colin O’Bryan, will offer the keynote address.

    Additionally, starting on July 31, ESYO’s Summer Sessions begin. The sessions include myriad activities, from week-long intensives to workshops to concert picnic outings. Some events are open to the public, and encourage everyone to come together to make music. More information and registration are available here.

    Another summer highlight involves talented CHIME musicians, selected to participate in National Seminario Ravina. These students will travel to Chicago in July for rehearsals and coachings with renowned conductors and musicians

    Those interested in attending the Cargenie Hall concert or signing up for a summer opportunity can find more information here. Additionally, students interested in applying for the 2023-2024 ESYO season can find more information here.

  • Van Norton Family Foundation Selects ESYO as First Grant Recipient

    Schenectady’s Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO) have announced that they’ve received a grant of $22,000 from the Van Norton Family Foundation, going towards the CHIME program.

    Heather Manthey, Van Norton Family Foundation President and Co-Founder is driven by her mother’s benevolence. She says, “Our Foundation has a three-part mission: to support qualifying organizations that promote the interests of children, assist with the mental and physical health of individuals in our community, and advance the arts.” After researching ESYO, it wasn’t long before Manthey knew that she had found her perfect choice.

    Founded in 1979, ESYO is a non-profit organization that is widely known as a premier music education/performance program for youth and has received three ASCAP awards.

    The Empire State Youth Orchestra plans to use their stupendous gift to support their CHIME program. Creating Harmony Inspiring Musical Excellence was launched in 2015 to address fundamental inequities preventing universal access to high level music opportunities for youth. Today it is a free after-school program for grades k-12, that empowers youth to develop a strong sense of personal identity and community through ensemble-based music instruction.

    The Amplify Our Voice initiative provides the youth of CHIME  with a safe place to process deep emotion, explore shared experiences, and amplify their voices to the world. Through reflection, improvisation, and experimentation, the youth of CHIME create an original, multi-level composition in partnership with a guest arranger. This year’s theme, chosen by students, is “Stop Violence & Show Kindness,”. They will be collaborating with composer Adrian Gordon. The CHIME Proctors Orchestra recently performed Gordon’s piece “A Hero’s Journey.”

    Currently, in support of their CHIME program, ESYO has received a total of $105,000 from regional and national Foundations. Funders, Rea Charitable Trust, Review Foundation, Carnegie Hall PlayUSA, Barry Alan Gold Memorial Fund,D’Addario Foundation, Henry M. Butzel Foundation, Seymour Fox Foundation and Price Chopper Golub Foundation have all made gracious donations. For more information, visit esyo.org.