Andrea Weber News

Today the Merce Cunningham Trust announces Summer & Fall 2019 programming for the worldwide Merce Cunningham Centennial, which unites artists, companies, and cultural and educational institutions in a celebration of Cunningham's vital impact. Launched in the fall of 2018 and continuing throughout all of 2019, the Centennial honors Cunningham's legacy across continents and artistic disciplines. The diversity of activities and participating partners demonstrate the profound, enduring resonance of the choreographer's work and his approach to how the body moves in time and space.

As the end of the 2018-2019 Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) season approaches, PYO has enhanced the lives of over 120 classical music students, providing music education to highly motivated students who develop a keen sense of discipline as they perfect their musical skill.

The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra's PRYSM (Philadelphia Region Youth String Music) and PRYSM-YA (PRYSM Young Artists) ensembles will take to the stage for their 12th Annual Festival Concert. The concert will take place on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at 3 p.m. and will be held in Centennial Hall at the Haverford School, located at 750 Lancaster Avenue in Haverford, PA.

For the third year, The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) conducted a nationwide search to name the three winners in the PYO Young Composers Competition. All participants submitted original orchestral scores. The winners were selected by PYO's music director, Maestro Louis Scaglione, and the director of the Young Composers Competition, Sheridan Seyfried, who is a Philadelphia-based composer, a PYO alumnus and a graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Richard Danielpour, Jennifer Higdon and Ned Rorem.

The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra's Bravo Bass ensemble will perform a memorable performance titled "Brass by Popular Demand" today, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mark's Church in Center City Philadelphia. St. Mark's is located at 1625 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA.

The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra's Bravo Bass ensemble will perform a memorable performance titled "Brass by Popular Demand" on Saturday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mark's Church in Center City Philadelphia. St. Mark's is located at 1625 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA.

The Presser Foundation is pleased to sponsor the February 17, 2019 Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) Concert being held in Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center for Performing Arts. Beginning at 3 p.m., the concert celebrates the legacy of Michael Stairs, the renowned organist who has performed worldwide and made such a major impact in the Philadelphia area. Michael Stairs offered his musical contributions to PYO and last performed the Strauss and Saint-Saens selections in 2014 at the PYO 75th Anniversary concert being repeated at this PYO concert.  The February 2019 concert features the extraordinary talent of two special guests - David Kim, Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Peter Richard Conte, renowned organist. It will showcase the 130 members of the ensemble, between the ages of 14 to 21 who are conducted by the esteemed Maestro Louis Scaglione.

The students of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) organization demonstrate, once again, how talented they are! Six of the nine finalists of the 2019 School District of Philadelphia's All-City Concerto Competition are current PYO members, including the first place winner, Marquise Bradley.

Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO), is proud to present the talented string musicians of PRYSM (Philadelphia Region Youth String Music) and PRYSM-YA (PRYSM Young Artists) on Saturday, February 9, 2019 at 3 p.m. in Centennial Hall of the Haverford School in Haverford, PA. General admission tickets are $15, free for children under age 18. For information, call (215) 545-0502.

The Philadelphia Young Musicians Orchestra (PYMO) will perform at The Temple Performing Arts Center, located at 1837 N. Broad Street in Philadelphia, on Saturday January 19, 2019 at 4 p.m.

Spring activities for the Centennial, which continues through all of 2019, include a wide range of performances, film screenings, discussions, education initiatives, community programming, and new works by other artists in conversation with Merce Cunningham's work.

Tune Up Philly (TUP), the community engagement program of Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO), directed by Paul Smith, presents its opening concert of the season on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at 1 p.m. The young musicians will pay homage to traditional dances and folk melodies in this program. Art and culture will be combined placing the students' talent on full display. The concert will take place at The Temple Performing Arts Center, located at 1837 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA. This is a free event. For more information, please call 215-545-0502.

The Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra is prepared to make their season debut on Sunday, December 16, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at the Perelman Theater at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The concert, conducted by Maestra Rosalind Erwin, blends selections from the great orchestral repertoire including an epic selection from the Nutcracker Ballet, all performed by the gifted members of the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra.

On April 16, 2019-the late, legendary American choreographer Merce Cunningham's 100th birthday-the largest Cunningham Event ever staged will take place in London, New York City, and Los Angeles.

With the theme of British Brass, the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra's (PYO) all-brass ensemble, Bravo Brass, will present a musical tour of the remarkable British Island on Saturday, December 1, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. It will take place at St. Mark's Church located at 1625 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA., under the guidance of Paul Bryan, the Director of Bravo Brass.

Theatre Lunatico presents Steven Dietz's adaptation of Bram Stoker's DRACULA, an aptly hair-raising theatrical adventure for the Halloween season. The dark story is richly told by a diverse, physical theatre ensemble utilizing movement and vocals to create an atmosphere of the bizarre and grotesque. Theatre Lunatico casts women in the key roles of Van Helsing and Renfield, furthering the company's goal to create unique performance opportunities for women.

Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center for Performing Arts will once again host the opening performance of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra on November 4, at 3 p.m. This first concert of the 2018-2019 season will be recorded for a later date to air on WRTI-FM. It will showcase the 130 members of the ensemble, between the ages of 14 to 21 and is conducted by the esteemed Maestro Louis Scaglione.

The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) has opened another year of opportunity for talented young composers to participate in the Third Annual Young Composers Competition for the 2018-2019 season. PYO is calling on gifted composers, between the ages of 18 to 24, to submit an original orchestral piece. The winner will receive the honor of having the composition performed by the highly esteemed Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and recorded for a possible future broadcast on WRTI.

Theatre Lunatico presents Steven Dietz's adaptation of Bram Stoker's DRACULA, an aptly hair-raising theatrical adventure for the Halloween season. The dark story is richly told by a diverse, physical theatre ensemble utilizing movement and vocals to create an atmosphere of the bizarre and grotesque. Theatre Lunatico casts women in the key roles of Van Helsing and Renfield, furthering the company's goal to create unique performance opportunities for women.

Fall activities for the Centennial, which begins this month and extends through all of 2019, include a wide range of performances, film screenings, discussions, education initiatives, and new works by other artists in conversation with Cunningham's work.