Metropolitan Youth Symphony Explained

Metropolitan Youth Symphony is a youth orchestra based in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A, founded in 1974 by Lajos Balogh^[1] with a handful of students. It now consists of 400+ students across fifteen orchestra, band, strings, flute, percussion and jazz ensembles, led by an artistic team of thirteen conductors and directors.^[2] It has rehearsal sites in both Portland and Hillsboro, Oregon. MYS accepts young musicians from kindergarten through early college age at all levels of experience.

The current music director of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony is Costa Rican-born conductor and violinist Raúl Gómez-Rojas.^{[3] [4]}

Ensembles^[5]

• Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Raúl Gómez-Rojas
• Concert Orchestra, conducted by Giancarlo Castro D’Addona
• Portland Camerata, conducted by Paloma Griffin Hébert
• Hillsboro Camerata, conducted by Kevin A. Lefohn
• Sinfonietta Orchestra, conducted by Marian Gutiérrez-Curiel
• Portland Chamber Strings, conducted by Darian Todd
• Hillsboro Chamber Strings, conducted by Kevin A. Lefohn
• Interlude Orchestra, conducted by Erica Boland
• Portland Overture Strings, conducted by Brittany Newell
• Hillsboro Overture Strings, conducted by Eri Nogueira
• MYSfits String Ensemble, conducted by Raúl Gómez-Rojas and Kenji Bunch
• MYSticks Percussion Ensemble, directed by Kevin Schlossman
• Flute Ensemble, directed by Adam Eccleston
• Symphonic Wind Ensemble, directed by Adam Eccleston
• Jazz Ensemble, directed by Christopher Brown

Performances

Metropolitan Youth Symphony's Symphony Orchestra performs four concerts each season as part of its Downtown Concert Series, addressing themes like climate change^{[6] [7]} and racial justice.^[8] MYS Downtown Series concerts take place at Portland'5 venues such as Newmark Theatre and Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.^[9] Other MYS ensembles perform across an average of twelve Community Concerts each season at venues throughout the Portland Metropolitan Area.^[10] Additionally, MYS ensembles perform at 15 Title 1 schools each year as part of its In-School Concert Outreach Program.^[11]

External links

• • 2011 Symphony final performance video (2 m 50 s)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Balogh, founder of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony, steps down as Music Director . Dot Rust . Oregon Music News . September 29, 2011 . 2012-02-14 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120514221055/http://oregonmusicnews.com/2011/09/29/balogh-founder-of-the-metropolitan-youth-symphony-steps-down-as-music-director/ . May 14, 2012.
2. Web site: 2014-01-30 . About MYS Metropolitan Youth Symphony . 2024-03-15 . en-US.
3. Web site: Campbell . Brett . January 19, 2020 . Vision 2020: Raúl Gómez . 2024-03-15 . Oregon ArtsWatch . en-US.
4. Web site: Bash . James . October 16, 2023 . ‘Music has to fill the soul and be fun’: The future of the industry with MYS and Raúl Gómez-Rojas . 2023-12-21 . Oregon ArtsWatch . en-US.
5. Web site: 2014-06-18 . Artistic Team Metropolitan Youth Symphony . 2024-03-15 . en-US.
6. Web site: 2022-03-03 . Students use power of music to raise climate change awareness . 2024-03-15 . KOIN.com . en-US.
7. Web site: Bash . James . March 9, 2024 . Rooted in music: Metropolitan Youth Symphony plays works touching on the environment . 2024-03-15 . Oregon ArtsWatch . en-US.
8. Web site: Campbell . Brett . January 4, 2023 . Winter classical concerts embrace themes of racial justice, showcase vocal harmony . The Oregonian.
9. Web site: 2018-09-11 . Downtown Series Concerts Metropolitan Youth Symphony . 2024-03-15 . en-US.
10. Web site: 2021-08-30 . Community Concerts Metropolitan Youth Symphony . 2024-03-15 . en-US.
11. Web site: 2014-06-16 . School Outreach Concerts Metropolitan Youth Symphony . 2024-03-15 . en-US.