Food & Fun at the BYSO Friendraiser

So much fun was had at the 2010 BYSO Friendraiser!

All photos courtesy of http://www.brickhousephotos.com/

All photos are copyright protected. To purchase your own copy of a photo, please visit the website listed above, click on order print, and BYSO Friendraiser. Thanks!

Making New Friends

BYSO was joined by approx. 50 new and old friends this February for the first annual "BYSO Friendraiser." The event, held at Starry Nights Catering & Events in Kirkland brought together longtime supporters of BYSO, current conductors and students, and new friends & supporters of BYSO.

This was one of a number of recent efforts to make sure that the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra is no longer one of the Eastside's, "best kept secrets."

A special thank you to our conductors, student performers, board members, volunteers, and new and old donors for making this such a fun and festive evening!

Teresa Metzger Howe, BYSO Music Director, and new friends

Ruth Brewster, Executive Director, and long-time friends and supporters of BYSO

Geri Carlson, Board President, her husband, and guests

Next week's blog will be filled with more fun photos of the performances, food, & guests!

All photos courtesy of www.brickhousephotos.com

BYSO back at Bellevue Square!

It's been many years, but this holiday season BYSO returned to perform at Bellevue Square for the holiday season. With Santa's reindeer "Flying" above our Premiere Orchestra it was quite a festive performance. Led by conductor, Barney Blough, the group performed a number of seasonal pieces from around the globe. Smaller quartets also performed selections for this concert.

The Bellevue Square center court was packed with parents, friends, and shoppers and it was a very festive way to kick off the holiday season!

Our First Crossroads Concert of the Season!

Last Sunday the Sinfonia Orchestra, led by Conductor Joseph Kempisty, performed to a full house at Crossroads Mall in Bellevue. Sinfonia performed twice that afternoon to a busy Crossroads! Mr. Kempisty kept the group on their toes as he picked up the tempo in the final piece of the concert, a hungarian dance.

Happy Anniversary Conductor Kempisty!!!

Joseph Kempisty, conductor of Sinfonia, is completing his tenth year with the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra. He is the only current conductor to have worked under all three music directors since the Bellevue Eastside Youth Symphonies merged with Youth Philharmonic Northwest in 1999. We caught up with him at his office at Chinook Middle School, yesterday, where he is the assistant principal. We asked him to comment on the changes that have happened at BYSO and to compare and contrast the three music directors in the last ten years. He replied, “Each director brought their own unique strengths, and each was an integral part in developing the high quality music education program that BYSO has become. Alan Futterman (1994-2001) is still involved in our young composers’ composition contest and does a wonderful job of mentoring these young composers. Adam Stern (2001-2005) brought a vast amount of professionalism and experience that raised our expectations and gave us an exciting new perspective on who we could be. Dr. Teresa Metzger Howe (2005-present) is taking the next step leading BYSO with a skilled hand and attention to integrating BYSO into the greater community. I feel very privileged to have worked with each of these people, and I am glad that I am a part of what they helped to shape – a vibrant youth orchestra program that continues to grow!”