MYSO presents free winter concert at Lewis University

Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) presents its ‘Feeling New Strength’ winter concert on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 7:30pm at the St. Charles Borromeo Convocation Hall on the Romeoville campus of Lewis University. The concert is free and open to the public, with donations accepted online and at the door.

The winter concert will celebrate MYSO’s 2026 Student Composition Competition Winner Kian Ravaei’s piece called Feeling New Strength. Ravaei is currently a C.V. Starr Doctoral Fellow at The Juilliard School. His winning piece expresses joy, optimism, and life-affirmation inspired by Beethoven’s written words of “feeling new strength” at the climax of his piece Heiiger Dankgesang. Ravaei’s piece was selected from numerous submissions throughout the country.

The concert program will also include Bizet’s L’Arlesienne Suite 2, Page’s Rokoczy (Hungarian) March, Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, Leroy Anderson’s Bugler’s holiday and Finlandia by Sibelius.

Founded in 1959 the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra has resided in Will County since 1991. Players in MYSO come from area high schools and middle schools, as well as Lewis University and Joliet Junior College. The 55-piece orchestra is under the direction of Peter Lipari.

MYSO rehearses every Wednesday evening that school is in session from 6:15 to 8:45 at Lewis University. The orchestra currently has openings in their percussion, bassoon, and string bass sections. For more concert and audition information, visit www.mysomusic.org.