The Norwalk Youth Symphony (NYS) is an American symphony orchestra for high school aged and younger students. The symphony is based in

Norwalk, Connecticut , image_map = Fairfield County Connecticut incorporated and unincorporated areas Norwalk highlighted.svg , mapsize = 230px , map_caption = Location in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Fairfield County and ...

. Established in 1956, the symphony includes students from

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

and some parts of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. The NYS has been regarded as one of the best youth orchestras in the region. In Norwalk, the NYS performs at Norwalk City Hall at least 3 times per year. The NYS has performed at the Stamford Town Center,

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...

Tanglewood Tanglewood is a music venue in the towns of Lenox and Stockbridge in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. It has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937. Tanglewood is also home to three music schools: the T ...

, and the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

. The NYS has also performed outside of the United States in such countries as the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Spain, Italy, and Germany. The NYS consists of five orchestras and the Junior Strings program, with current conductors as follows: * Principal Orchestra: Conductor, Jonathan Yates. This is the most advanced group, performing advanced and demanding music that is not usually performed by students. They have performed works by composers such as Mahler, Berlioz, Wagner, Stravinsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov. * Concert Orchestra: Conductor, Russel Ger. This orchestra is made up of advanced students that still need time to develop their skills prior to moving into the Principal orchestra. Their repertoire has included works by composers such as Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saëns, Borodin, Berlioz, and Beethoven. * Philharmonia Orchestral Winds: Conductor, Barry Zhou. This is a woodwind/brass orchestra that is often the beginning level for most wind/ brass players. * Philharmonia Orchestral Strings: Conductor, Jessica McNamara. This is a string orchestra that offers harder and more challenging music and prepares players for Concert Orchestra. * Prelude Orchestra: Conductor, Rafael Videira. This is a string orchestra that is often the first branch of the Norwalk Youth Symphony for string players. * Junior Strings: Conductor, Rafael Videira. This is a string orchestra that is the beginning level for elementary string students to continue their playing outside of school. NYS also includes a Junior Strings ensemble, percussion ensemble, chamber music program, and chamber orchestra. NYS alumni have gone on to attend some of the greatest music conservatories in the country, including the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most el ...

and the

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory in New York City. The school offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition, as well as a bachelor's in mu ...

. Past conductors/music directors have included

Miguel Harth-Bedoya Miguel Alberto Harth-Bedoya (born 1968) is a Peruvian conductor. He was formerly music director of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra from 2000 to 2020 and chief conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra from 2013 to 2020. He is currently Director ...

, Tara Simoncic,

Gisele Ben-Dor Gisèle Ben-Dor ( Buka; born 26 April 1955) is an American Israeli orchestra conductor of Uruguayan origin. Conductor Ben-Dor was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, to Polish Jewish immigrant parents. She graduated from the Rubin Academy of Music, Te ...

, and John Huwiler.

References

External links

Official Norwalk Youth Symphony home page
Musical groups established in 1956 Culture of Norwalk, Connecticut Tourist attractions in Norwalk, Connecticut Musical groups from Connecticut American youth orchestras 1956 establishments in Connecticut Youth organizations based in Connecticut Performing arts in Connecticut {{US-orchestra-stub