Talia Fernandez
My MYO tour to China in the summer of 2014 was an experience I will remember for my entire life. For two weeks, I saw spectacular sights and visited amazing places like the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Dragon Lady’s Summer Palace, and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. I was able to
Lorenzo Jordan
MYO has truly been a wonderful experience that has led to me participating in an array of ensembles and shows. Not only did it help me develop as a better singer, it also opened the door for me to become a part of the opera world. MYO helped me get my foot in the door
Jacquelyn Lee
MYO is a singular experience that provided me the opportunity to express myself through music. I have been in MYO for four years and have learned so much throughout this time. I started in the Treble Choir with Mr. Knapp, where singing involved the fundamentals of song. In Mrs. Purrone’s Concert Choir, I learned not
The Leventhal Family
A place for our souls to soar
MYO is something we adore
Meeting new friends is such fun
Working together we are all one
Lines and dots on a page
Thomas Loomis
It has been an honor to be a founding member of the Suffolk Youth Chorale under the direction of Shoshana Hershkowitz. In the past two years, I have been introduced to wonderful musicians and opportunities. Performing at renowned venues like Carnegie Hall, LeFrak Concert Hall, and Stony Brook Staller Center was amazing. Singing the National
Sarah Mirro
To be a member of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra is to be a part of something very special. It is a privilege to be surrounded by so many talented and kind students, as well as adults, each week. I couldn’t think of any better way to spend my Thursday nights than being at MYO choir
Constance Mulford
What I’ve enjoyed most about playing in the MYO ensembles is the great experience of meeting excellent musicians from all over Long Island and solidifying long lasting friendships. Each rehearsal, it’s enriching to learn how to play as an ensemble and to read through plenty of challenging repertoire. You begin to feel more and more
Edward P. Norris III
It is such a humbling experience to work with some of the best young vocalists on Long Island. Watching the faces of my students as they come in to rehearsal and we begin is priceless. Watching them listen to new repertoire and get excited to rehearse is such a gratifying feeling. The best part about
Harry Petropoulos
For the past two years I have been a member in MYO as a percussionist. I have looked forward to every practice knowing I would learn something new and exciting. Each practice helped me develop techniques and deeper knowledge of my instrument and how it works with the rest of the symphony. I have always
Phil Preddice
The music of MYO is History, Language, Math, Science and the Humanities all wrapped up in a wonderful package which stands firm on its own base. Music is everywhere, an art form whose intrinsic value is measurable and at times indescribable – leaving us speechless to applaud the emotions it creates. MYO is the vehicle
Kerri Rinaldi
MYO has been a part of our family for the past two years. It has given Caitlin a wonderful opportunity. It’s refreshing to see her doing what she truly enjoys. She has matured musically and her confidence has grown. She has also made some amazing friendships which I definitely see outlasting her MYO tenure. I
Kristopher Saint-Louis
My time in the MYO Chamber Chorale has been truly splendid. I have grown tremendously with the help of Edward Norris, Cara Brown, and my fellow musicians. As an artist, the Chamber Chorale fulfills my need for a musical challenge every week. As a student of the arts, I am pushed to learn rigorous repertoire
Katlyn Smith
My name is Katlyn and I started playing music when I was six years old. I was so very happy when I auditioned for MYO and was accepted as the youngest ever to join the orchestra at the age of seven. One of the great things about MYO is that I get to play with
Scott Stickley
As Music Director, I am always excited by the MYO experience, in rehearsal and in concert. The oboe sounds the “A”, the Nassau Principal Orchestra tunes and then, the downbeat. The musicians of the orchestra express, embrace, and explore the wonderful dramas of composers such as Beethoven, Dvořák, Mahler, Gershwin, Shostakovich and Berlioz. These experiences
Olivia Tang
MYO has been an amazing journey for me throughout this year. I’ve learned so much about being passionate while playing the cello. Not only have I learned to play musically, but I’ve learned to work together with the rest of the orchestra to create incredible music. This was my first year in the Nassau
Joseph Yun
MYO is an indescribable experience. You play with some of the most talented musicians in your county. Through MYO, I have performed in colleges, prestigious concert halls and sports stadiums. MYO has given me chances that I could have never imagined. It transforms the idea of music. My musical repertoire through MYO has ranged between
MYO Mourns the Loss of Alumnus Joseph Ferriso
MYO mourns the loss of Joseph Ferriso, Nassau Principal Orchestra horn player, class of 2013. Joseph passed away on Saturday, January 3 from injuries sustained in a car accident. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family and friends.
Please see the MYO Facebook page for more photos and cherished memories of
July 11, 2014 – Beijing
After an early start we boarded buses and braved bumper to bumper traffic until we were out of the downtown area toward The Great Wall of China. Over 4000 miles long it was built to keep the Mongolians away over 2600 years ago. Weather was hot, with a few clouds but otherwise a very blue
July 12, 2014 – Last Day in Beijing
We began the day with a wonderful full buffet breakfast at the Capital Hotel. We loaded the buses with our luggage for our afternoon exchange to the airport, then to Chengdu. We rode about an hour to the Emperor’s Summer Palace. There are two geographical features to the Palace grounds; the man-made lake and the
July 13, 2014 – Chengdu
We woke up to an even more spectacular breakfast with all kinds of Chinese and European foods. At 8:30 AM we went to the Panda Preserve, about 30 minutes outside of Chengdu. We spent the morning walking through the Preserve and watching these sweet little bears go about their two normal activities, eating bamboo and
July 14, 2014 – On to Xi’An
An early departure from the hotel put us on the road to the Chengdu airport. The morning was spent moving through airports and an uneventful arrival in Xi’An. This city has changed so much since we were here in 2006! New high-rise buildings up-scale department stores have created an entirely new skyline for the city.
July 15, 2014 – Xi’An
We rode to the site of the Terra Cotta Warrior excavations early in the morning. The air was slightly smoggy but blue skies were visible. The Warriors were discovered by accident by a farmer digging a well in 1974. We would later meet the farmer in the museum shop where he was signing a book.
July 16, 2014 – Leaving Xi-An
We left our Xi’An hotel early for a transfer to the airport and a two hour flight to Guilin. This time check-in and security went very smoothly. Upon arrival we were met by our city guides and given a box KFC lunch to eat on the bus. Although people were appreciative I think there was
July 17, 2014 – On the Li River
We left the hotel at 8:30am for an hour ride to board the Li River boat. The dock was fairly crowed as several boats were leaving about the same time. We had assigned seats and we began the most spectacular adventure down the Li River for the next four hours. Enormous, high limestone mountains loomed
July 18, 2014 – Shanghai Arrival
We had a safe and uneventful flight from Guilin to Shanghai. After a visit to the Bund (riverside) and a group picture, we checked in to the hotel, went to dinner and had a bit of free time in the hotel area. Many swam in the pool.