MANSFIELD—The Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO) will take to the stage at the Renaissance Theatre on May 7, 2023, at 3:30 PM for their spring concert. Under the direction of Stephen Domka, the talented area youth will perform a range of works, including Declaration Overture by Claude T. Smith, Dvorak’s New World Symphony (Mvt. I and IV), Millennium by Richard Meyer, James Bond Medley Arr. by Victor Lopez, and Bacchanale by Saint-Saens.
The MSYO will also feature two seniors from Ontario High School, Elizabeth Corn, and Joseph Litao, as soloists with the orchestra. Corn will perform Clarinet Concerto No. 1 by Carl Maria von Weber, while Litao will play Zigeunerweisen by Pablo de Sarasate.
According to Domka, this year’s concert reflects a new beginning after the pandemic. “The Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra Spring Concert is full of trumpet fanfares and rhythmic idioms that mirror the color and texture of John Williams,” said Domka. “Our students had the opportunity to perform two concerts this year, which doubled the amount of repertoire they worked on from September until May. Dvorak’s New World Symphony was composed when the composer visited the United States to tour the ‘New World’ and hear the influence of many cultures coming together. The symbolism of a ‘New World’ reminded me of how all of us have tried our best to adapt to the changes the pandemic brought.”
The MSYO is comprised of approximately 90 members each season, representing some of North Central Ohio’s finest musicians from a 12-county region. It is the only youth orchestra within a 65-mile radius of Mansfield and offers high school students an additional opportunity for musical growth by rehearsing and performing with other student musicians from the area, particularly if their high school is unable to offer a full orchestra experience.
The MSYO’s performances are presented as part of the Mechanics Bank Education Series, with additional support from the Russell and Mary Gimbel Foundation. Adult tickets are $10, while student tickets are $5 and are available at the Renaissance Box Office, by calling 419-522-2726, and online at rentickets.org.
This season’s youth orchestra is primarily made up of students from a variety of schools, including Ashland, Clearfork, Colonel Crawford, Galion, Home School, Lexington, Mansfield St. Peter’s, Mapleton, Mt. Vernon, Ontario, River Valley, Willard Intermediate, Wooster, and Wynford.
The MSYO includes musicians on flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion, violin, viola, cello, and bass. Their performances both onstage at the Renaissance and in the community make them a vital part of the Mansfield Symphony’s education initiative, providing students with the opportunity to perform a wide variety of fine orchestral music within a full symphony orchestra.