WORLD RENOWNED COMPOSER WRITES SYMPHONY FOR OAKLAND YOUTH ORCHESTRAS' 40th CELEBRATION

OXFORD, MI – April 20, 2015-- Oakland Youth Orchestras, (OYO), commissioned world renowned composer, Catherine McMichael, to write a symphony for its grand 40th anniversary celebration. Ms. McMichael is a Michigan resident whose music reaches across six continents, innumerable students, and professional artists. Five publishers distribute her various pieces, from flute ensembles, piano, string chamber music, symphonic, band, and concert-length choral works.

Ms. McMichael wrote “Symphony of the Ages” for the four orchestras that comprise OYO. Over a year ago, she visited OYO to get a feel for the orchestras and craft her music for them. She said, “I was inspired, once I’d heard them play and had a chance to talk with them as a way of preparing to find ideas for their piece…” Her initial theme for the piece centered around explorers and discoveries, with the aim of engaging the imagination of the young musicians who would play it. But after meeting them, her epiphany was very simple: it would be about them, their explorations and discoveries as they grow and mature. “Symphony of the Ages” has 4 movements, each written for a characteristic found in the individual orchestras—Loyalty Velocity, Courage and Vision.

“Symphony of the Ages,” will premiere April 30th, 2015 as part of the spring concert to commemorate the 40th Anniversary Season of the Oakland Youth Orchestras. The concert will be held at the Oxford Fine Arts Center at 6:30 p.m.

Oxford Fine Arts Center is located at Oxford High School, 745 N. Oxford Road, Oxford, MI 48371.

Tickets will be available at the door: Adults–$10, children and students–$5, and ticket quartets–$30 (includes four tickets).

Oakland Youth Orchestras has been educating and enriching youth through music since 1975. In 1975, OYO had 50 students and one orchestra. Today, OYO is a four-tiered orchestra program (Studio String, String, Philharmonia and Symphony orchestras) serving over 350 students in grades two through twelve from Lapeer, Macomb, Oakland and St. Clair counties in southeast Michigan. The mission of OYO is to inspire student musicians by providing an exceptional orchestral experience to public, private and home schooled students. OYO fosters enrichment through opportunities in music theory, chamber music, community outreach performances and competitions.

OYO is supported in part by grants from the Michigan Council of the Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as Corporate and Foundational Support from Oakland University Department of Music, GPS Educational Services, Meijer, Samuel Westerman Foundation, Rochester Tuesday Musicale, and numerous community-supported contributions.

Visit www.oyomi.org to learn more about OYO and why it has been, and will continue to be one of the finest youth orchestras in southeast Michigan.