The Cascade Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) today announced its public performances for the 2009-10 season, including book-end concerts at Seattle’s venerated Benaroya Hall. The season starts off with the Cascade Youth Symphony in performance on Saturday, Nov. 21st, at 2:00 p.m. in Benaroya Hall.
The Cascade Youth Symphony Orchestras are comprised of five, merit-based ensembles, beginning with the Preparatory Strings, the youngest group. From there, young musicians may graduate to progressively higher levels in the Sinfonette, Premier, Junior and Cascade Youth Symphonies. The Principal Conductor and Music Director is Gerry Jon Marsh, a professor of music at Seattle Pacific University.
“This could be our most exciting year ever,” Marsh says, “because we’re starting and ending in Benaroya Hall. Our final concert next May will be a side-by-side performance with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra itself, and our kids are all very excited about it.”
“It’s an exciting year for all of us,” says CYSO Executive Director David Endicott. “As we like to say, we’re starting our second quarter century under the baton of Gerry Marsh. He’s been a terrific music shepherd for generations of young people and an inspiration to all the staff and volunteers during his first 25 years at our musical helm. Beginning and ending our performance year at Benaroya Hall is most appropriate for the occasion.”
The CYSO performance calendar is as follows:
Nov. 21, 2009 beginning at 2:00 p.m.
Cascade Youth Symphony
Benaroya Hall
Nov. 22, 2009 beginning at 4:00 p.m.
Cascade Premier & Junior Symphonies
Edmonds-Woodway High School
Jan. 26, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Cascade Preparatory Strings & Sinfonette concerts
College Place Middle School in Edmonds
Feb. 7, 2010
Cascade Sinfonette, Premier & Junior concerts beginning at 3:00 p.m.
Cascade Youth Symphony at 7:00 p.m.
Shorecrest Performing Arts Center in Shoreline
April 27, 2010 beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Cascade Preparatory Strings & Sinfonette concerts
College Place Middle School
May 2, 2010 at 4:00 p.m.
Cascade Sinfonette, Premier, Junior & Youth Symphony concerts
Edmonds Performing Arts Center
May 8, 2010 beginning at 11:05 a.m.
May 11, 2010 beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Cascade Youth Symphony with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra
At Benaroya Hall in Seattle
The Cascade Youth Symphony Orchestras (www.cyso.us ), presented by Kennelly Keys Music, are comprised of five merit-based youth symphony ensembles. With student players from eight to 21 years old from throughout north and east King and south Snohomish Counties, CYSO has been working cooperatively with regional schools for more than 33 years to provide after-school hours instrumental music instruction and performance opportunities to talented young musicians. Principal Conductor and Music Director Gerry Jon Marsh, a music professor at Seattle Pacific University, recently celebrated his 25th anniversary at the music helm of CYSO.
