Performances will be on May 22 in the Music Center at Strathmore
(NORTH BETHESDA, MD)- Founded in 1946 by Chester J. Petranek, The Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras of Strathmore (MCYO) are officially celebrating their 75th anniversary on Sunday, May 22 in the Music Center at Strathmore. All MCYO ensembles will perform in this special anniversary program. At 1 PM students in Future Stars, Young Artists, Symphony, and Kamerata! will perform while the 7 PM concert features presentations by Preparatory Strings, Chamber Strings, Chamber Ensemble, and Philharmonic.
Highly regarded regionally and nationally as one of the country’s most outstanding youth orchestra programs, The MCYO is the oldest and most established youth orchestra program in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. In MCYO, students experience a seamless connection between the artistic and the educational experience. Since 2005, MCYO has been a resident partner in the Music Center at Strathmore.
Under the direction of Artistic Director Jonathan Carney and Music Director Kristofer Sanz, MCYO offers three full orchestras: a chamber ensemble, two string orchestras, small ensembles and chamber groups to nearly 500 talented musicians in grades 2-12.
“We are extremely proud and honored to celebrate our 75th Anniversary with a day full of wonderful performances culminating with a world premiere of a brand-new multimedia orchestral suite In Aqua Sanitas, for orchestra, piano, poetry, water percussion, children’s choir, mezzo-soprano, and audience participation performed by our Philharmonic,” said MCYO Music Director Kristofer Sanz. “Not only are our performances a culmination of the countless hours of hard work and dedication of our young musicians, but also a testament to the trust instilled in MCYO by our parents for the music education of their children, and the legacy that was set in place by past conductors and leaders of MCYO over the last 75 years. Even though this year has been difficult due to COVID restrictions and protocols, every single musician in the organization has risen to the occasion and made music with more dedication than ever before.”
During recent seasons, MCYO has collaborated (performances and musical exchanges) with many diverse groups including the Afghan National Youth Orchestra at the Kennedy Center; Tuned-In, a Baltimore inner-city wind program; Young Artists of America; NASA and the Sally Ride Foundation; Scotch College, Australia; Strathmore Children’s Chorus; the National Symphony Orchestra; Black Violin, and CityDance.
Strathmore is grateful to the following institutions and individuals who have contributed to MCYO this season: Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Gerilee Bennett; Cathy Bernard and the Bernard Family Foundation; Harriett and Jerome Breslow; Bette Eberly-Hill and John Hill; Edward Grossman and Rochelle Stanfield; Olivia Warley Gutoff Memorial Scholarship Fund; Eunice Park-Lee and John Lee; The Silver Spring Chapter of The Links, Inc.; Peilin Tan-Aquino and Welman Aquino; Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation; Bernard Wills
For more information about MCYO visit – https://www.strathmore.org/community-education/mcyo/