WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (MAY 7, 2019) – The Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras Program will hold its final concert of the 2018–2019 Season on Monday, May 20 at 7 p.m. The Premiere Strings, led by Dr. Ryane Dunnagan and Rachel Watson; the Youth Philharmonic, led by Margaret Rehder; and the Youth Symphony, under the baton of Dr. Jessica Morel, will perform at the Stevens Center of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts at 405 West Fourth Street in downtown Winston-Salem. The concert is free and open to the public.
“All three groups in the Youth Orchestras Program are very excited to perform their Spring Finale Concert,” said Morel. “They have been working hard all year for this performance, and they will be playing music that is at an extremely high level for their age group. We hope that the community will come out to support them.”
The Youth Symphony will perform Pictures at an Exhibition, by Modest Mussorgsky, arr. by Ravel; Three Short Movements for Orchestra, by Gavin Hunter (a Youth Symphony member; viola); and the first movement of the Clarinet Concerto, No. 1, by Carl Maria von Weber featuring Trenton Smart on clarinet. The Youth Philharmonic will perform Ballet Parisien, by Jacques Offenbach; The Pink Panther, by Henry Mancini; Music from The Lord of the Dance, by Ronan Hardiman; and Superman Returns, by John Williams. The Premiere Strings will perform Dragon Dances, by Soon Hee Newbold; Appalachian Sunrise, by Doris Gazda; and Any Way You Want It, by Neal Schon and Steve Perry.
About the Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras
The Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras Program is part of the Winston-Salem Symphony and includes about 160 student musicians. The Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras are currently comprised of two full orchestras and a string orchestra for aspiring musicians in the first through twelfth grades: the Premiere Strings, led by Dr. Ryane Dunnagan and Rachel Watson, is a strings ensemble for young musicians; the Youth Philharmonic, led by Margaret Rehder, is a full orchestra for intermediate level students; and the Youth Symphony, led by Dr. Jessica Morel, is a full orchestra for advanced students. Both full orchestras consist of 50 to 75 members and perform several public concerts annually as well as occasional concerts for special audiences. For more information, visit wssyo.org.
About the Winston-Salem Symphony
The Winston-Salem Symphony, one of the Southeast’s most highly regarded regional orchestras, began its 72nd season in October 2018. The season included performances featuring the five finalists for the Music Director position. Each candidate conducted a pair of Classics Series concerts, and attendees had a chance to play a role in the selection process. In addition, the 2018–2019 season included a Plugged-In Pops series, Discovery Concerts for Kids series, an annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, the Concert for Community featuring Winston-Salem Symphony and Youth Symphony musicians, holiday concerts, three youth orchestra ensembles, and a multitude of educational and community engagement programs, including the newest offering, the P.L.A.Y. (Piedmont Learning Academy for Youth) Music program providing, primarily to under-served youth, instrumental music instruction and more. The Symphony is supported by Season Presenting Sponsors BB&T and Bell, Davis & Pitt, P.A., as well as generous funding from the Arts Council of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County, the North Carolina Arts Council, and other dedicated sponsors. For more information, visit WSsymphony.org.
