12 Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Students Earn Good Citizenship Awards

Twelve members of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) were among the 2016 recipients of the prestigious Good Citizenship Award presented by the Youth Work Foundation of The Union League of Philadelphia (ULP). The awards, which recognize the accomplishments of outstanding young citizens who participate in the ULP’s Youth Work Day Program, were presented during the Foundation’s annual Good Citizenship Award Dinner at the Union League. The talented young PYO musicians who received the 2016 Good Citizenship Award come from across the Delaware Valley. They include:

Sarah Jang (16) – PYO – Viola – Cherry Hill, NJ

Benjamin Kenzakowski (17) – PYAO – French Horn – Norristown, PA

Daniel T. Kim (17) – PYO – Cello – Cherry Hill, NJ

Austina Lin (17) – PYO – Violin – Berwyn, PA

Conor McAvinue (17) – PYO – Viola – Wilmington, DE

Kathryn Song (16) – PYO – Violin – Belle Mead, NJ

Miles Shore (17) – PYO – Bassoon – Yardley, PA

Maria Thomas (17) – PYO – Clarinet – Wyndmoor, PA

Ehren Valme (17) – PYO – Trombone – Burlington, NJ

Xiao (Olin) Wei) (17) – PYO – Flute – Wynnewood, PA

Jessica Zhang (17) – PYAO – Cello – Phoenixville, PA

Joy Zhao (16) – PYO – Cello – Chalfont, PA

President and Music Director Louis Scaglione sees the signature goal of PYO is to provide challenging programming that builds and reinforces the character of its students. Scaglione explained, “While pursuing their musical education taught by our outstanding staff, the PYO students develop life skills that will serve them well into the future. We are very proud that a dozen of our remarkable young people have been recognized as Good Citizens and how well they represent our organization in all of their endeavors.”

The Youth Work Foundation’s programs recognize, educate, and motivate high school students who demonstrate the attributes of a good citizen. Over the past 70 years, the Good Citizenship Award has been presented to nearly 17,000 young people. This year, 300 young men and women were recognized at the Award Dinner.

About the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Organization

Just completing its 76th year, the renowned Philadelphia Youth Orchestra organization, led by President and Music Director, Maestro Louis Scaglione, is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected community music education and youth orchestra performance programs, providing talented young musicians from across the tri-state area with exceptional musical training. Students go on to excel in many diverse fields, and it is with pride that Philadelphia Youth Orchestra notes that many members of the prestigious Philadelphia Orchestra are alumni. The organization is comprised of five independent program ensembles designed to meet specific needs and experience levels of students selected through a competitive audition process. The anchor group is the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO), conducted by President and Music Director Louis Scaglione, featuring 125 gifted instrumentalists who range in age from 14-21. Young musicians 12-18 years old are featured in PYO’s companion ensemble, the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra, which is led by Director and Conductor Maestra Rosalind Erwin, who is Music Director and Conductor of Drexel University Orchestra. Bravo Brass, directed by Curtis Institute Dean of Faculty and Students, Paul Bryan, is an all brass ensemble for promising middle and high-school instrumentalists. PRYSM (Philadelphia Region Youth String Music) and PRYSM Young Artists ensembles provide string large ensemble and sectional master class instruction for beginning and intermediate musicians ages 6-14. The director and conductor of PRYSM is Gloria DePasquale, cellist with The Philadelphia Orchestra, and conductor of PRSYM Young Artists is Jessica Villante. Tune Up Philly (TUP) is PYO’s engagement program, directed by Paul Smith, that focuses on the creating and inspiring true community by providing children in underserved communities with invaluable opportunities to learn and perform a differentiated orchestral music curriculum. www.pyos.org.

About the Youth Work Foundation of the Union League

Founded in 1946, the Youth Work Foundation of the Union League is a charitable organization that educates and motivates young people to set high personal standards. It recognizes the achievements of young leaders, and inspires them to be responsible citizens. The Foundation is one of three charitable and civic organizations) supported by the membership of The Union League of Philadelphia (others are

Scholarship Foundation and Abraham Lincoln Foundation. For more info, visit www.ulheritagecenter.org.

About The Union League of Philadelphia

The Union League of Philadelphia was founded in 1862 as a patriotic society to support the policies of

President Abraham Lincoln. The Union League has hosted U.S. Presidents, heads of state, industrialists,

entertainers and visiting dignitaries from around the globe. It also provided loyal support to the

American military in each conflict since the Civil War, and continues to be driven by its founding motto, Love of Country Leads. One of the primary outreach efforts of the League today is through the three

charitable organizations, each founded by its members. For additional info, please visit www.unionleague.org.