by Mike Telin

This time of year there is a seemingly endless number of holiday concerts on the calendar. If you’re looking for something different, just for one evening, the Contemporary Youth Orchestra invites you to be part of their 20th anniversary celebration. On Saturday, December 20 at 7:00 pm in Waetjen Auditorium at Cleveland State University, Liza Grossman will lead the 120-member CYO Reunion Orchestra in a free concert featuring Igor Stravinsky’s “Berceuse” and “Finale” (Firebird Suite), Derek Snyder’s Sun Up, Tan Dun’s Internet Symphony, Gustav Holst’s “Mars” (The Planets) and Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2.

Grossman could not be more pleased with the fact that Saturday’s orchestra will include alumni representing each of CYO’s past nineteen seasons. “For the first time in our history alums are coming back for one magical night! There are a few charter members returning and I believe there will be at least one member from each season after that. Some people I haven’t seen in 18 years, but we’ll have nametags for everybody so we’ll know who is who. I think some of them may be older than I am by now!” [Read more…]