The Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO), Annapolis, and the surrounding counties’ premier youth orchestra, is delighted to announce that the CYSO Jazz Combo, led by director David Kauffman, was accepted to perform at both the upcoming Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival and Maryland Music Educators Association’s Annual Conference. The ensemble, comprised of 9 students who rehearse every Thursday evening throughout the school year at Bates Middle School, focuses on ensemble skills, improvisation, technique, and musicianship.
The CYSO Jazz Combo’s performance at the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 18 at the Hilton Hotel in Rockville, Maryland on the Atrium Stage. Other well-known artists performing on the three-day festival include the Julieta Eugenio Trio, Joe Locke Group, A Tribute to Roy Hargrove, The Thad Wilson Jazz Orchestra, Randy Brecker, Paul Carr, and many others.
On Friday, March 3rd at 3 PM the Jazz Combo will be showcased at the Baltimore Convention Center. The three-day event is the biggest annual gathering of music educators in Maryland and highlights talented students from all over the state concluding in Junior and Senior All State Concerts on Sunday, March 5th.
Leah O’Brien, President of the CYSO Board of Directors, has said “The CYSO is dedicated to providing a musical experience unlike any other, and our Jazz Combo is no exception. Most youth orchestras don’t offer Jazz as part of their program, but we see real value in allowing students the outlet to be creative through means of playing jazz and improvising, a skill not generally learned by playing in a symphony orchestra. Passion and dedication for our students and their continued success is the driving force behind every decision we make. We know the power of music.”
To learn more about the Chesapeake Youth Symphony, please visit www.cysomusic.org
