Downbeat | October 2023
16 October 2023
ESYO Delves into the unifying Power of Breath
This season, ESYO musicians at all levels, from Concertino Strings to Wind Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra, will explore more than the lush harmonies,...
ESYO Announces the Young People’s Concert (YPC) and Seniors’ Concert
14 September 2023
Young People’s Concert (YPC) and Seniors’ Concert
October 18, 2023
YPC 10:30am | Senior's 1:00pm
Proctors M...
Announcing Our New Artistic Staff!
23 June 2023
Announcing ESYO's New Artistic Staff
Three new ESYO conductors join the Artistic Team this summer
We are thrilled to announce three new ESYO conduc...
Congratulations to the ESYO Class of 2023!
21 June 2023
Congratulations to the ESYO Class of 2023!
We are so proud of all you have accomplished, and can't wait to learn where your passions take you next!
...
ESYO Awarded $3.5 Million by New York State Council on the Arts for Center for Musical Youth
14 June 2023
ESYO Awarded $3.5 Million by New York State Council on the Arts for Center for Musical Youth
The grant is part of a record large capital project funding announcem...
ESYO Young Leaders’ End-of-Year Projects Celebrate the Musical Community
09 June 2023
ESYO Young Leaders’ End-of-Year Projects Celebrate the Musical Community
Free, public performances and videos are some of the projects created and coordinated by ...
CHIME Students Perform Original Composition in World Premiere Performance
26 May 2023
CHIME Students Perform Original Composition in World-Premiere Performance
"The Power of Hope" made its debut on May 19 at Schenectady High School
S...
ESYO returns to Carnegie Hall for first time since 2017
26 May 2023
ESYO Symphony Orchestra Returns to Carnegie Hall for First Time Since 2017
More summer fun to look forward to after ESYO season closes in June
Sche...
Sign Up For ESYO's Summer Sessions
28 April 2023
Meet up with other ESYO musicians and make new friends before rehearsals begin with ESYO's summer sessions. At ESYO's Summer Sessions, you'll study your instrument with professional chamber musicia...
ESYO Names Two Winners of Concerto Competition in Historic Judging
08 March 2023
ESYO Names Two Winners of Concerto Competition in Historic Judging
The winners will perform during the ensemble’s concerts in April and October, respectively
...
CHIME students amplify their voices with composer Adrian Gordon for student-led composition
08 March 2023
CHIME students amplify their voices with composer Adrian Gordon for student-led composition
Through the Amplify Our Voice initiative, students learn to process em...
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Orchestra and ESYO Join Forces to Present Music:Eyes – See What You Hear
26 January 2023
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Orchestra and Empire State Youth Orchestra Join Forces to Present Music:Eyes – See What You Hear
Symphony Orchestra will partner ...
ESYO hosts its first String Day
24 January 2023
ESYO's First String Day A Success
ESYO hosted masterclasses and workshops focusing on string instruments on January 14, 2023
For the first time in ...
Making Friends by Borrowing Pencils: Guest Post by Liam Sullivan
24 January 2023
Making Friends by Borrowing Pencils: Guest post by Liam Sullivan
"'Never forget your pencil,' I was warned, 'or you will die in rehearsal.'"
I’ve b...
ESYO Receives Van Norton Family Foundation's First-Ever Grant Gift
20 January 2023
ESYO Receives Van Norton Family Foundation's First-Ever Grant Gift
This gift will support CHIME and the Amplify Our Voice initiative
January 20, 20...
Playathon, Free Seniors' Concert & more return this March
18 January 2023
Playathon, Free Seniors' Concert & more return this March
ESYO concert classics planned for spring concert schedule
Empire State Youth Orchestra’s ...
ESYO Members Perform at NYS Inauguration Gala
05 January 2023
ESYO Members Perform at NYS Inauguration Gala
Two string quartets alternated during the afternoon of music on New Year's Day
We were thrilled when ...
International Artists Come to Teach ESYO Students
21 November 2022
International Artists Come to Teach ESYO Students
Recent guests have included Thalea String Quartet and Adrian Gordon
ESYO students always get worl...
ESYO Awarded $10,000 in Recovery Funding from the New York State Council on the Arts
07 November 2022
ESYO Awarded $10,000 in Recovery Funding from the New York State Council on the Arts
NYSCA is providing nearly 1000 organizations with over $13 million in recover...
CHIME Students explore nontraditional music making with composer Gabriel Prokofiev
28 October 2022
CHIME Students explore nontraditional music making with composer Gabriel Prokofiev
Prokofiev and music director Etienne Abelin perform for Proctors CHIME students
...
Congressman Tonko visits site of ESYO’s Center for Musical Youth
14 October 2022
Congressman Tonko visits site of ESYO’s Center for Musical Youth
Rep. Tonko touring Capital District projects that benefitted from federal funding
Congressman Paul D. Tonko joined members of the E...
ESYO Receives Vital Support from Several Foundations
26 September 2022
ESYO Recieves Vital Support from Local, Regional, and National Foundations
ESYO has received $68,500 in grant support from 4 local foundations
ESYO...
ESYO’S 2022-2023 Season Begins with a Sprinkle of Something New!
21 September 2022
ESYO’S 2022-2023 SEASON BEGINS WITH A SPRINKLE OF SOMETHING NEW!
Empire State Youth Orchestra Explores New Ways of Teaching, Learning, and Performing While Giving Fresh Takes on Classical Masterwo...
A Season of Gratitude | 2021-2022 Year In Review
16 September 2022
A season of gratitude best describes the 2021-2022 season. As we reflect back on the many accomplishments of our youth, we feel deep gratitude for our friends, families, and contributors. Despite...
ESYO Explores Soundpainting with the Launch of MusicNOW!
14 September 2022
ESYO musicians returned to the rehearsal room this month for the start of what will be an exciting season of adventurous music-making. The new season also brings something brand new: MusicNOW!W...
Melodies of Christmas is Back!
13 September 2022
AUDITION BEGIN SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
The excitement is building around the grand return of CBS Albany's Melodies of Christmas! After the COVID-19 pandemic paused the annual benefit concert, the...
Fall Auditions Now Open!
09 September 2022
It's Not To Late To Join ESYO for the New Season!
Back to school also means back to rehearsals for ESYO's young musicians. It is easy to see that each musician is excited to return to making mus...
New School Year Brings New Hopes, New Goals, & New Opportunities
07 September 2022
Today, students and teachers across the Capital Region and upstate New York head back to school. The new school year brings with it new hopes, new goals, and new opportunities to grow. For many y...
ESYO CHIME PERFORMS STAND TALL AT CARNEGIE HALL
15 August 2022
Carnegie Hall's PlayUSA foundation, which funded the creative learning project, invited ESYO CHIME to present its composition at its national convening.
On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, a small chambe...
ESYO Receives Transformative $1.5 Million Grant from Schenectady County
10 August 2022
Schenectady County Legislature unanimously voted to approve a resolution providing $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to ESYO for New Home
On Tuesday, August 9, 2022, ESYO's vision ...
ESYO Rewind! Symphony Orchestra Premieres Concerto for DJ/Electronics and Cello
03 August 2022
A Look Back at the Premiere of Fabrizio Cassol's Concerto for Cello and DJ/Electronics
On Sunday, June 12, 2022, at Tanglewood's iconic Seiji Ozawa Hall in Lenox, M...
Young Musicians Turn Dissonant Challenges into Creative Opportunities
01 August 2022
Last month, we celebrated our third class of graduating ESYO seniors since the global COVID-19 pandemic upended rehearsals and paused live performances during ESYO's 40th Birthday season. Looking...
ESYO Welcomes New Board Members
25 July 2022
At its annual meeting this summer, the Empire State Youth Orchestra Board of Directors welcomed a new slate of board members who will contribute their time, talents, and experience to the orchest...
EMPIRE STATE YOUTH ORCHESTRA PERFORMERS AT CDSWOY AWARDS GALA
20 July 2022
EMPIRE STATE YOUTH ORCHESTRA PERFORMERS AT CAPITAL DISTRICT SPORTS WOMEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS GALA
Members of the acclaimed Empire State Youth Orchestra will perform at the Capital District Sports...
Sign Up For ESYO's Summer Sessions
12 July 2022
Meet up with other ESYO musicians and make new friends before rehearsals begin with ESYO's summer sessions. At ESYO's Summer Sessions, you'll study your instrument with professional chamber music...
ESYO Seniors Recognized for Outstanding Service & Leadership in School Music Programs
24 June 2022
ESYO musicians take what they learn from ESYO and bring it back to their high school music program. Many grow to become leaders in their school music programs. Congratulations to the ESYO Class o...
First-ever ESYO CHIME Alumni Look Back on Experience
23 June 2022
Guided by the vision that music uplifts and enriches the community, ESYO created the CHIME program in 2015. Since the beginning, the program has inspired hundreds of young musicians from Schen...
Concert Review: The Season Ending Performance by this Wonderful Ensemble
15 June 2022
I was compelled to relate my activity on Sunday last when I attended a concert at Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood by ESYO, the Empire State Youth Orchestra. This was the season ending performance by th...
ESYO French Horn Player Awarded the 2022 Barry Richman Careers in Music Scholarship
13 June 2022
Each spring ESYO awards an outstanding senior the Barry Richman Careers in Music Scholarship. Named in honor of ESYO Co-founder, current board member, and...
Two Graduating Seniors Awarded ESYO's Helen Cha-Pyo Baton Award
13 June 2022
The Helen Cha-Pyo Baton Award is presented each spring to a senior who embodies the passionate commitment of former Music Director, Helen Cha-Pyo, to music as a means to uplift and enrich the com...
Thank You Board Co-Chair's Kurt Bratten and Patty Michaelson
28 March 2022
Thank You Patty Michaelson and Kurt Bratten
This month, we bid farewell to ESYO Board of Directors Co-Chairs Kurt Bratten and Patty Michaelson. We greatly appreciate their leadership as well as th...
ESYO CHIME to Premiere New Work on Resiliency
28 March 2022
Last month, ESYO CHIME embarked on a new music project with contemporary composer and RPI Professor of Music Chris Fisher-Lochead.
Funded by Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute's PlayUSA initiat...
ESYO Celebrates the Magic of a School Concert
28 March 2022
March is Music In Our Schools Month, a time to celebrate school music programs and the dedicated school music teachers that set the stage for many of the area's great musicians. Magic happens at ...
Playathon is Back! ESYO Musicians Share Their Love of Music at Crossgates Mall for the First Time Since the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic
22 March 2022
Playathon is Back! ESYO Musicians Share Their love of Music at Crossgates Mall for the First Time Since the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Hundreds of Young Musicians Perform a Musical Marathon ...
Spirit of Innovation, Fresh Perspectives, and Belonging Top List of Priorities For New ESYO Music Director
08 March 2022
Spirit of Innovation, Fresh Perspectives, and Belonging Top List of Priorities For New ESYO Music Director
Renowned Conductor, Violinist and Creative Entrepreneur Etienne Abelin To Serve as the ...
A Tale of Two Cellos. First Chair Partners Take Top Spots in ESYO Concerto Competition
03 February 2022
Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO), known regionally and nationally for nurturing the next generation of creative leaders and performers, today announced that ESYO cellist and Niskayuna High Scho...
ESYO CHIME Embark on a Reflective Composition Project with Local Composer
02 February 2022
Challenges and adversity are parts of everyday life, and our experiences shape us as individuals and as a community. How we bounce back and overcome day-to-day struggles changes us and de...
Benefits of Sounding Together in Concertino Woodwind, Brass, & Percussion
01 February 2022
Playing a musical instrument challenges young people's minds and bodies and ignites their creativity. Playing a musical instrument creates new pathways of thinking and learning. But sound...
Merz Trio & the American Patchwork Quartet Stop by ESYO to Inspire the Next Generation
31 January 2022
Music nourishes the lives of young people, and the joyful pursuit of musical excellence leads young musicians on a journey to self-discovery and creative collaborations. Empire State Youth Or...
ESYO Young Leaders Program Ignites the Passions of Young Musicians
08 January 2022
Igniting Passion, Nurturing Development, and Cultivating Leadership
ESYO welcomes twenty-four young leaders & mentors to the ESYO Young Leader Program
Musicians are well suited for ...
ESYO Rewind! Sleigh Ride Holiday Spectacular
23 December 2021
A Look Back at ESYO's First-ever Holiday Spectacular
On Sunday, December 19, 2021, at Proctors Theatre, the Empire State Youth Orchestra's Symphony, Youth Jazz, and Chamber Orchestras t...
The Art of Listening
24 November 2021
Tips to Help You Master the Art of Listening
If we've learned anything about music over the last two years, it is the power of live music. Whether listening to a masterful piece by one of th...
ESYO Rewind! 2021-2022 Opening Weekend
16 November 2021
A Look Back at ESYO's 2021-2022 Opening Weekend
After nearly two years since their last performance for a live audience, ESYO Symphony Orchestra returned to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hal...
ESYO Musician Flies to L.A. for YOLA National Symposium
16 November 2021
Jay-Era
Each year, young musicians from across the country convene in Los Angeles for the YOLA National Festival and again for the YOLA National Institute. Hosted by Maestro Gustavo Dudame...
Empire State Youth Orchestra Takes a Magic Sleigh Ride with Local Author & Madison VanDenburg
16 November 2021
ESYO Unwraps New Orchestral Arrangement of Madison VanDenburg’s new single “The Light of Christmas” at ESYO’s Holiday Spectacular.
Empire State Youth Orchestra, known regionally and nationally...
2020-2021 ESYO Year-In-Review
27 October 2021
Zooming, hybrid, click-tracks, PPE, social distancing, MERV 13 filtration, “quilted” performances - all words that have come to define our 2020-2021 season.
Sing Joyfully with ESYO Chorale, Audition Today!
07 October 2021
Auditions take place June 18-19 at Helderberg Reformed Church In Guilderland Center
What is ESYO Chorale?
ESYO's Concert Chorale is an after-school choral ensemble for high school musicians that ...
A Sneak Peak at the 2021-2022 Fall Concert Series
07 October 2021
ESYO's Fall line-up of concerts illuminates the once darkened stage as Audiences Return
ESYO's Fall line-up of concerts illuminates the once darkened stage and brings a triumphant tone to th...
The Legend of the Ghost Light
07 October 2021
The "Ghost Light" Shines in Theatres and Concert Hall's Across the Country
In almost every concert hall and theatre across the globe stands a single light, an illuminating beacon piercing th...
ESYO Musicians Need Your Support
07 October 2021
ESYO returned with great excitement to regular rehearsals and live performances. But we are seeing a tremendous need for more focus on the individual, with more attention to sectionals and coac...
You Can Find an ESYO Musician Onstage at School
06 October 2021
ONSTAGE WITH ESYO & ON STAGE AT SCHOOL
You can find ESYO musicians in school auditoriums across the region
A life-long love of music and the joyful pursuit of music begins at scho...
The Power of an ESYO Sponsor and Program Book Underwriter
06 October 2021
THE POWER OF AN ESYO CONCERT SPONSOR & PROGRAM BOOK UNDERWRITER - THEY MAKE MUSIC HAPPEN!
The Empire State Youth Orchestra provides young musicians in the region with an essential ...
Back to School Means Back to Rehearsals for ESYO's Musical Youth
06 October 2021
September Means Back to School and Back to Rehearsals for ESYO's Musical Youth
After more than a year and a half of playing 6ft apart at Proctors and in separate smaller ensembles, thi...
ESYO Symphony Orchestra Welcomes Guest Conductor Andrés Rivas
18 August 2021
ESYO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WELCOMES GUEST CONDUCTOR ANDRÉS RIVAS
The Empire State Youth Orchestra is excited to welcome conductor Andrés Rivas to the podium as guest conductor for ESYO Sy...
Two Prominent Local Jazz Artists Take the Podium with ESYO Jazz
17 August 2021
TWO PROMINENT LOCAL JAZZ ARTISTS TAKE TO PODIUM WITH ESYO JAZZ
For over two decades, ESYO set young musicians on a course to discover Jazz, a truly unique and all-American artform. From Jazz s...
ESYO to Make Investments in Young Musicians with Federal Assistance and Donor Support
16 August 2021
ESYO Receives Federal Assistance Through the Small Business Administration's Shuttered Venue Operators Grant
Empire State Youth Orchestra is grateful to receive federal assistance thro...
ESYO Welcomes New Faces This Fall
16 August 2021
ESYO WELCOMES NEW FACES THIS FALL
Dr. David Bebe
Director of Education
The Empire State Youth Orchestra is excited to welcome Dr. David Bebe to the musical community as Director of Educati...
Downbeat | Summer 2021
16 August 2021
DOWNBEAT | SUMMER 2021
Official e-Newsletter of the Empire State Youth Orchestra
ESYO WELCOMES NEW FACES THIS FALL!
ESYO WELCOMES DR. DAVID BEBE, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, AND ZOË AUE...
New August Summer Programs
04 August 2021
Join ESYO’s new Summer Programs for a variety of both educational and social events! Open to all students registered for the 2021-2022 season, members are able to register “a la carte” for an...
Tips & Tricks for a Successful Audition
27 May 2021
Tips & Tricks for a Successful Audition
Audition Video Deadline is Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Auditions are a regular part of being a serious musician. Whether you are a youth musici...
ESYO Virtual Parent Forum
10 May 2021
ESYO Virtual Parent Forum
Monday, May 17, 2021 | 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Whether your child is just starting out or an experienced player, whether they are a percussionist, jazz, folk or clas...
ESYO Celebrates International Jazz Day
30 April 2021
ESYO Celebrates International Jazz Day
April 30th is International Jazz Day, a day to celebrate a uniquely American art form
Today is International Jazz Day! A day to celebrate a uniq...
In the Classroom, on Stage, or at a Pep Rally, ESYO Musicians are Leaders in Their School
30 March 2021
Whether in the classroom, on stage, or at a pep rally, ESYO musicians are leaders in their school.
When not on stage with ESYO Symphony Orchestra, flutist Chris Connors can be found cour...
The Value of School Music Programs!
17 March 2021
School Music Programs Feed the Soul & Nourish the Mind
Music brightens the day, uplifts our spirit, nourishes our creative minds, and develops the brain
Have you ever stopped and ...
ESYO Musicians to Perform at Schenectady's Young Musicians Forum
17 March 2021
ESYO Musicians to Perform at Schenectady's Young Musicians Forum
Catch their performance at the annual Beat the Snow Winter Concert Series online this Sunday, March 21,...
It Begins at School! Music Teachers Help Musicians Form Deep Ties to their Instrument
10 March 2021
It Begins at School! Music Teachers Help Musicians Form Deep Ties with their Musical Instrument
Do you remember the first time you picked up your instrument? The excitement, the energy, ...
Help ESYO Pilot a New Music Program
21 February 2021
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ESYO Alumni Spotlight | ESYO Alumni Serve as CHIME Teaching Artists
17 February 2021
ESYO Alumni Spotlight | ESYO CHIME Reunites a Quartet of Friends Who First Met as Members of ESYO
ESYO Alumni Monica Roach, Cathy Gatta, Teresa Gatta-Norton, and Matthew Johnson share th...
ESYO Recieves Vital Support from Local, Regional, and National Foundations
27 January 2021
ESYO Recieves Vital Support from Local, Regional, and National Foundations
ESYO has received $156,000 in grant support from 13 local, regional, and national foundations
The global COV...
ESYO Musicians & Alumni Celebrate MLK Day at State Capitol
25 January 2021
ESYO Musicians and Alumni Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the New York State Capitol
ESYO violists Peyton Roach and Cristiane Richardson perform "Lift Every Voice & Sing" wit...
ESYO Alum, Master Sergeant Brian Sacawa Performs at Presidential Inauguration
20 January 2021
ESYO Alum, Master Sergeant Brian Sacawa Performs at 2021 Presidential Inauguration
Today in our Nation's Capital, ESYO alumnus Master Sergeant Brian Sacawa and the United States Army F...
ESYO Inaugurates a New Year of Mentoring the Next Generation
19 January 2021
ESYO Inaugurates a New Year of Mentoring the Next Generation
Twenty-five service-minded adults from all walks of life and professional disciplines step up to mentor members of the ESYO Y...
Mentors Matter!
08 January 2021
Mentors Matter!
ESYO welcomes twenty-five mentors to the ESYO Young Leader Program
January is National Mentoring Month, and ESYO is excited to welcome twenty-five mentors to the ESYO ...
ESYO CHIME Returns to the Stage
23 December 2020
EYSO CHIME Returns to the Stage to Create Harmony
In March, ESYO CHIME traded their rehearsal room for a Google Classroom and the auditorium for a virtual stage. Earlier this month, ES...
Is Music Essential?
22 December 2020
Is Music Essential?
Did 2020 change and challenge our perceptions of music?
What a year! 2020 has changed and challenged each of us and ESYO in unimaginable ways. Never be...
What is a Virtual Concert Hall?
13 November 2020
What is a Virtual Concert Hall?
ESYO Launches a Digital Stage to Bring Joy During the COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 has shuttered concert halls across the region while ghost lights watched...
Happy 250th Birthday Beethoven!
12 November 2020
HAPPY 250th BIRTHDAY BEETHOVEN
ESYO Symphony Orchestra Salutes Beethoven with Birthday Performance
Few composers changed the course of western music history like Ludwig van Beethoven. T...
ESYO Announces Tutti! A Virtual Music Festival
10 November 2020
ESYO's Tutti! Festival | All Together, Again
In March, COVID-19 shuttered concert halls and closed theatres across the country. ESYO moved online and hosted its first-ever digital music festiv...