The Glendale Youth Orchestra celebrates the final concert of its 30th season and the last performance of long-time beloved conductor Brad Keimach with a show at The Alex Theatre in Glendale on Sunday evening, May 19.
While Los Angeles has several excellent youth orchestras, the Glendale Youth Orchestra, which draws its young musicians primarily from Glendale, Pasadena and Burbank, has consistently ranked near the top. The GYO performs standard symphonic repertoire and the May 19 concert also features the winner of the orchestra’s annual concerto competition, Jamie Yoon.
The concert begins with Mozart’s Overture 2, The Magic Flute, followed by Bach’s Air and then Yoon, a student at Crescenta Valley High School, will perform the first movement of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. The concert closes with a performance of the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony #9.
The Glendale Youth Orchestra puts on three concerts annually, in November, March and May. Keimach has conducted the GYO for 19 years.
“Brad’s retirement is a celebration not just for all the years put into teaching but for every young musician he has helped along the way and the knowledge that was imparted,” commented GYO Board of Directors President Mara Kelly.
“Brad has elevated the quality of our program by challenging the members to be their best,” she added.
The GYO was named an L.A. Phil Premier Youth Orchestra by the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2012 and has performed twice at Walt Disney Concert Hall during Keimach’s tenure.
Tickets and more information can be found on The Alex Theatre’s website. General admission ticket prices vary from $12 for students and seniors to $15 for adults, with some additional discounts that individuals may qualify for via The Alex Theatre.
The concert begins at 7:00 p.m. and parking is available in adjacent lots. The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand Boulevard in Glendale.
More information on the Glendale Youth Orchestra can be found on their website.
Editor’s Note: While there’s always a lot going on in Burbank, myBurbank’s “Get Out Of Town!” highlights some of our favorite activities and events outside the town borders.
