The Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Youth Orchestras concludes their 2015/16 season
on May 2 at 7 p.m. at the Tivoli Theatre featuring all four orchestras. The event will feature
performances and compositions in honor of the 30th Season for the CSOYO.
Lucas Garner will be presenting a premiere of his “Platform 5, Fanfare for Orchestra”, written for
the CSOYO Symphony. Konstantine Vlasis will be performing “Mjölnir, Concerto for Timpani,”
written by Lucas Garner. The final selection of the concert will include many CSOYO alumni,
who have been invited to join the performance.
"With the merger of the Chattanooga Symphony and the Chattanooga Opera in 1985, there was
new energy and enthusiasm for a rebirth of an orchestra for young people under the auspices of
the newly created CSO. Thanks to the leadership of Lee Parham (CSO board president), Mary
Barker, Linda Pennebaker, Kay Smith, Sandy Morris, and Linda Thompson, the youth orchestra
was organized and launched on its 30-year adventure.
"Conductors include Orlo Gilbert, Philip Rice, Jay Craven, David Conn, and Gary Wilkes, who is serving in his 23rd year as music director and conductor. The CSOYO is hoping to reach out to the many alumni, former Board members, staff members, and conductors of the youth orchestras from the past 30 years. If you are a CSOYO alumnus, please contact them through the website at
www.csoyo.chattanoogasymphony.org," officials said.
The CSOYO Prelude and Etude Orchestras, conducted by Floy Wang, will open the concert.
Following them will be the CSOYO Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sandy Morris. The
program (with no intermission) will conclude with the CSOYO Symphony Orchestra, conducted
by Gary Wilkes.