Empire State Youth Orchestra Announces 40th Season

The Empire State Youth Orchestra has announced the 2019-2020 season which includes: a 40th birthday celebration for the organization, a concert with an ESYO alumnus who is assistant principal cellist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and a tour to South America.  

The organization is comprised of 13 performing ensembles and the successful CHIME (Creating Harmony Inspiring Musical Excellence) program. ESYO will also participate this season in two national music cohorts: Presto Sistema USA, and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute PlayUSA. ESYO’s Symphony Orchestra will once again be led by music director Carlos Agreda.

This year also marks the organization’s 40th birthday. In celebration, there will be a concert on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

Hailing from the Capital Region, Kenneth Olsen, the assistant principal cellist in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will also be joining Agreda. The Times Union will be sponsoring the November concert. 

This upcoming season is particularly exciting. We have the celebration of our 40th Anniversary and also the appearance of an amazing soloist, who once played in ESYO. We are also going on an international tour to Argentina and Uruguay. But, on top of that, we are working on our new partnership with the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall that will bring a greater value to arts in the Capital Region.

Carlos Agreda

Since its founding in 1979, the  Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO) has challenged and inspired young people to achieve excellence through music in a rigorous learning environment leading to high-level performance opportunities. Over 600 youth from the Capital Region of New York and western New England are selected by audition each year for the ESYO program. They then participate in one of the ten performing ensembles that collectively give approximately 30 performances a year. In 2015, ESYO launched ESYO CHIME (Creating Harmony, Inspiring Musical Excellence). ESYO CHIME seeks to expand access to music in underserved communities making sure that every child has access to musical excellence regardless of economic status.

ESYO concert attendees are once again able to use Access ESYO to attend the concert. Access ESYO allows ticket purchase for as little as $1.00 per seat, and will be sustained through a pay-it-forward campaign inviting donors to deposit the cost of a seat in an online ticket bank. For more information on ticketing click here

2019 – 2020 Concert Dates

*locations and times are subject to change

Nov. 2 – Troy Savings Bank Music Hall – Troy, NY

Nov. 4 – Shaker Junior High School – Latham, NY

Nov. 24 – TBA

Dec. 6 – TBA

Dec. 15 – Massry Center for the Arts, College of Saint Rose – Albany, NY

Dec. 19-22 – Proctors Theatre – Schenectady, NY

Feb. 1 – Crossgates Mall – Albany, NY

Feb. 12 – TBA

Feb. 13 – TBA

Feb. 27 – Massry Center for the Arts, College of Saint Rose – Albany, NY

Mar. 9 – UAlbany Performing Arts Center – Albany, NY

Mar. 29 – UAlbany Performing Arts Center – Albany, NY

Apr. 1 – Proctor’s Theatre – Schenectady, NY

Apr. 26 – Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

May 1 – TBA

May 2 – Arthur Zankel Music Center, Skidmore College – Saratoga Springs, NY

May 3 – Brown School – Schenectady, NY

May 10 – Massry Center for the Arts, College of Saint Rose – Albany, NY

May 17 – Massry Center for the Arts, College of Saint Rose – Albany, NY

May 31 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY

June 20 – GE Theatre at Proctors – Schenectady, NY

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