Bergen Youth Orchestra Launches 46th Season with Nov. 15 Concert

ENGLEWOOD, N.J., Oct. 17, 2014 – The Bergen Youth Orchestra (BYO) Symphony announced its concert schedule for the 2014-15 season, including a season-opening performance on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m., at Bergenfield High School.

The BYO Symphony, which is entering its 46th year, will also host performances on Saturday, March 7, and Saturday, May 16. The orchestra performs under the direction of conductor Eugene Minor, who has also served as music director since the BYO was founded in 1968.

The season-opening, Nov. 15 concert will be performed in the Bergenfield High School Auditorium, 80 S. Prospect Street, in Bergenfield. The concert will feature excerpts from Tschaikovsky’s Swan Lake, the Mendelssohn Octet in E-Flat Major, arranged by Yoon Jae Lee, and Glinka’s Ruslan and Ludmilla Overture.

Lee is a conductor, arranger, pianist, and musical entrepreneur whose arrangements have been praised by audiences and critics alike. His orchestral transcription of Mendelssohn’s Octet has been lauded by the Philadelphia Inquirer and his chamber version of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony cited as “illuminating ... with solos leaping out in unusually bold detail,” by the New York Times.

The Bergen Youth Orchestra’s two other performing groups – the Philharmonia and Concert Strings – will host concerts Saturday, Jan 24 and Saturday, April 18th, also at Bergenfield High School. These two groups will perform with the BYO Symphony in a joint, season-ending concert on May 16. All concerts, aside from Nov. 15’s performance, will begin at 7 p.m.

Tickets for each of the concerts are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. They can be purchased the night of the concert, at the door.

The BYO Symphony, comprised of 65 youth musicians ages 8 through 18, are primarily from Bergen County. Several members are from Passaic and Rockland counties.

Membership in the Bergen Youth Orchestras’ three performance groups is determined competitive auditions, and musicians are placed into a performance group based on their skill level. The Symphony is the most advanced.

“With a group of talented and dedicated young musicians, we’re looking forward to a fine season,” said Minor. “The Bergen Youth Orchestras have a long-standing tradition of excellence that I confident will be continued this year.”

About the Bergen Youth Orchestras

The Bergen Youth Orchestras, based in Englewood, N.J., was founded in 1968 and prides itself on allowing capable students the ability to work in a professional environment. The non-profit orchestras are dedicated to providing young musicians with exceptional training and the opportunity to perform diverse orchestral literature. Students are exposed to music that is both energetic and artistically distinguished. The BYO has performed under music director Eugene Minor in many distinguished venues including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and Avery Fisher Hall with the New York Philharmonic. For more information, visit BYO’s website at http://www.bergenyouthorchestra.org.

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