Empire State Youth Orchestras (ESYO) is an ensemble of classical music performing groups aimed at providing talented young musicians with an opportunity to participate in group ensembles with other similar musicians. Based in the Capital Region of upstate New York , ESYO ensembles are composed of a total of approximately 300 talented and musically advanced high- and middle-school students from New York and western New England . The most advanced group, the Symphony Orchestra, is considered one of the premier youth orchestras in the United States , and regularly performs concerts at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall , Ozawa Hall at the Tanglewood Music Center , and Carnegie Hall and in New York City .
17-680: In 1979, Barry Richman founded ESYO, consisting of a single orchestra, known as the "Youth Orchestra." Along with two colleagues, Lois Lyman and Eleanor Barnes, Richman brought together a group of parents and music educators. Together they organized an orchestra for some of the talented young musicians throughout the Capital Region. The Empire State Junior Orchestra was added in 1981 for middle-school aged students, and over time, additional ensembles were added to allow even more young people to participate. Today's ESYO consists of nine performing ensembles including over 300 musicians: two full orchestras,
34-581: A fourth by 2020. In 2018 ESYO opened a Troy site Paavo J%C3%A4rvi Paavo Järvi ( Estonian pronunciation: [ˈpɑːʋo ˈjærʋi] ; born 30 December 1962) is an Estonian-American conductor. He has been chief conductor of Zurich's Tonhalle since 2020. Järvi was born in Tallinn , Estonia , to Liilia Järvi and the Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi . His siblings, Kristjan Järvi and Maarika Järvi , are also musicians. After leaving Estonia,
51-519: A wind orchestra, a string ensemble, two jazz ensembles, and three percussion ensembles. Previous conductors of the orchestra have included Victoria Bond, Eiji Oue, Paavo Järvi , Francisco Noya, Jin Kim, Burton Kaplan, Helen Cha-Pyo , and Carlos Ágreda. ESYO is composed of thirteen ensembles: The Youth Orchestra is well known for its 30+ year participation in CBS 6 ’s Melodies of Christmas (benefit concerts for
68-458: The COVID-19 pandemic . The campaign took at-home video from students and musicians and broadcast them in a virtual concert format. During Day 3 of the festival, ESYO unveiled the first ever 360° video At-Home Orchestra, which featured 125 musicians performing "Ay Caray", an original composition by Carlos Ágreda in a 3d environment. The Youth Orchestra embarked on a fifth international tour in
85-785: The NHK Symphony Orchestra announced the appointment of Järvi as its chief conductor, beginning in the 2015–2016 season, with an initial contract of three years, which was extended a further three years to 2021. In November 2019, the NHK Symphony announced an extension of his contract through August 2022, at which time he stood down as its chief conductor. Järvi has recorded for such labels as RCA, Deutsche Grammophon , PENTATONE , Telarc, ECM, BIS and Virgin Records. His Virgin Classics recording of Sibelius Cantatas with
102-749: The ESYO Wind Orchestra embarked on an international tour for the first time, including Hungary. The 2008 tour was particularly distinguished as the Youth Orchestra premiered American composer Samuel Adler 's piece "A Bridge to Understanding" with Dr. Adler accompanying the orchestra on tour. "A Bridge to Understanding" was commissioned by ESYO for its Youth Orchestra to perform in a festival of new music in March 2008. During that festival, ESYO ensembles premiered nine pieces - one commissioned for each of ESYO's performing ensembles. The festival
119-596: The Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Estonian National Male Choir and Ellerhein Girls Choir won a Grammy Award for "Best Choral Performance". Järvi has two daughters, Lea and Ingrid, from his past marriage to the violinist Tatiana Berman. Järvi was featured in the documentary Maestro , directed by David Donnelly . He became an American citizen in 1985. Estonian Americans Too Many Requests If you report this error to
136-600: The Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center ). ESYO’s ensembles also give approximately 30 public performances a year. ESYO reaches out to the community with an annual free concert for senior citizens, concerts for young people, recitals in nursing homes, and performances at public events. In addition, the ensembles perform an annual "Playathon" fundraiser at Crossgates Mall in which they play for
153-867: The Principal Conductor of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra , and served in the post until 2014. In 2010, he became Music Director of the Orchestre de Paris , concluding his tenure in 2016, the same year in which he was named Artist of the Year by both Gramophone and Diapason magazines. Järvi is the founder and artistic director of both the Pärnu Music Festival and the Estonian Festival Orchestra. Järvi first guest-conducted
170-669: The Tonhalle Orchestra in 2009, and returned in December 2016. In May 2017, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich announced the appointment of Järvi as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2019–2020 season, with an initial contract of five years. In December 2022, the orchestra announced an extension of Järvi's contract as its chief conductor through the 2028-2029 season. Outside of Europe, in June 2012,
187-719: The elementary and middle school levels. ESYO provided free private lessons to poor students in Schenectady for nearly two decades, and in 2015, in partnership with the Schenectady City School District (SCSD), it launched a new access program called, Creating Harmony Invigorating Music Education—CHIME. Beginning with a cohort of 30 children at Schenectady's Yates Arts in Education Magnet School, CHIME now serves more than 100 children at three Schenectady program sites with plans to add
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#1732780021776204-819: The entire day. In May 2010, the Youth Orchestra performed for the first time at EMPAC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the grand finale concert of the Albany Symphony Orchestra 's American Music Festival. Other ESYO ensembles routinely perform at the Massry Center for the Arts, The College of Saint Rose , as well as at area high schools. The Repertory Orchestra routinely performs with Albany Pro Musica at its annual High School Choral Festival. In June 2011, ESYO won 2nd prize for Adventurous Programming (Youth Division) from ASCAP (American Society of Composer, Authors, and Publishers). The award
221-907: The family settled in the US. Järvi studied privately with Leonid Grin in Philadelphia, at the Curtis Institute of Music with Max Rudolf and Otto-Werner Mueller , and at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute with Leonard Bernstein . From 1994 to 1997, Järvi was principal conductor of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra . From 1995 to 1998, he shared the title of principal conductor of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra with Sir Andrew Davis . Järvi
238-687: The summer of 2012 after accepting an invitation to perform at the 2012 World Expo in Yeosu , South Korea . The orchestra also gave concerts in Beijing , Shanghai , and Seoul . Previous tours included traveling to Austria and Hungary in 1989, to Spain in 1994, to Germany and the Czech Republic in 2000, and to Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria in 2008. In the Summer of 2018
255-466: Was funded in part by a $ 100,000 grant from New York State Music Fund at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors . A future tour will occur in July 2020 to Argentina and Uruguay. In addition to its performing groups, in 2015 ESYO launched CHIME, an "El Sistema" based program. Through free, daily music instruction and mentorship, ESYO CHIME provides young musicians from poor communities comprehensive support at both
272-800: Was music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra from 2001 to 2011. The orchestra made a number of recordings for the Telarc label during Järvi's tenure. In May 2011, he was named the orchestra's Music Director Laureate. Since 2004, he has been the Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and an Artistic Advisor to the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra . In 2006, Järvi became
289-547: Was presented to Music Director Helen Cha-Pyo at the League of American Orchestra's annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This was the 3rd ASCAP award for ESYO; in June 2008, ESYO received 1st prize for Adventurous Programming (Youth Division) and the rarely presented Award for American Programming on Foreign Tours. During June 2020, ESYO live streamed a three-day digital music festival titled "#SoundingTogether" among
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