current_members website years_active article_title background genre origin name occupation
'' ` repertory conductor '' ' claudette laureano '' ` philharmonic ` conductor '' ' jim bartsch '' ` string conductor '' symphony ' patricia kelly conductor '' ' manny laureano '' http://www.mnyouthsymphonies.org/ 1972 - '' present '' minnesota youth symphonies
 classical_ensemble classical twin cities , minnesota , usa minnesota youth symphonies youth orchestra
minnesota youth symphonies

minnesota youth symphonies , commonly referred to as mys , was founded in 1972 by ralph winkler .
the program has four orchestras composed of elementary through high school aged musicians .
participation is based on an audition in which the prospective student must perform an appropriate solo , orchestral excerpt , scales and arpeggios , and sightread .
unlike many other programs , mys places each student into an orchestra based entirely on his or her skill level , rather than age .
the string orchestra , composed only of stringed instruments , is conducted by pat kelly , and is for students at the intermediate level .
the philharmonic orchestra , conducted by former `` minnesota orchestra '' education director jim bartsch , is a full orchestra for music students at the advanced-intermediate level .
the repertory orchestra , conducted by mys co-artistic director claudette laureano , is offered for advanced students .
the highest-level orchestra , the symphony orchestra , is conducted by mys co-artistic director manny laureano , and is a collegiate-level full orchestra .
the orchestras perform three major concerts in the twin cities area , primarily at `` orchestra hall '' in minneapolis .
there are also other performance opportunities throughout the year in addition to the three major concerts .
student musicians throughout minnesota and western wisconsin audition annually for a position in one of the four orchestras , which rehearse on saturday mornings .
mys also hosts various workshops and classes , as well as hosts an annual summer music program , which is usually consists of a chamber string workshop and a composition workshop .
mys has been under the artistic direction of manny laureano , principal trumpet of the minnesota orchestra , and his wife , claudette laureano , director of the breck school 's string program , since 1988 .
previous music/artistic directors have included ralph winkler , ed forner -lrb- former assistant conductor with the st. paul chamber orchestra and professor of music at macalester college -rrb- , william mcglaughlin , dr. clyn d. barrus and david tuburgen .
under winkler and forner 's initial leadership , mys grew from a single orchestra to 3 ensembles ranging from beginning students to college-level musicians .
under dr. barrus ' leadership , mys grew to four orchestras and over 400 students .
under the laureanos ' leadership , mys became known nationally as one of the nation 's leading youth symphony organizations , adding a summer program and community outreach programs serving over 600 students .
several alumni of the minnesota youth symphonies program hold positions with professional orchestras such as the cleveland orchestra , minnesota orchestra , the dallas symphony orchestra , the cincinnati symphony orchestra and the st. paul chamber orchestra .
in 1972 the st. paul chamber orchestra society ended its sponsorship of the st. paul youth orchestra .
many of the youth orchestra musicians and their parents were determined to continue the program .
they persuaded its music director , ralph winkler , to establish a new youth orchestra , the minnesota youth symphony .
mys was established as a place for serious young musicians to learn and be challenged .
the students ' hard work earned them an invitation in 1973 to perform in romania , making mys the first american youth orchestra to tour in a communist country .
in 1992 , the mys symphony orchestra became the first orchestra to ever perform in the super bowl 's half-time show when super bowl xxvi was played at the hubert h. humphrey metrodome in minneapolis .
mys worked with one of the most distinguished film composers of the 20th century when elmer bernstein guest-conducted `` the magnificent seven '' with the mys philharmonic orchestra in 1997 .
mys has collaborated with many noted guest artists , conductors and performing groups including minnesota orchestra music director osmo vanska , butch thompson , charles lazarus , jorja fleezanis , bel canto chorus , st. paul city ballet , minnesota boys choir , ignacio `` nachito '' herrera , doc severinsen , and the t.c. swing dancers , among many others .
in winter 2007 , mys symphony orchestra , under the baton of manny laureano , performed stravinksy 's `` rite of spring '' in concert at `` orchestra hall '' , which was a first for mys and maybe any other youth orchestra in minnesota .
the 2007-2008 season was particularly notable , as it marked the 35th anniversary of mys as well as the 20th anniversary of co-artistic directors claudette and manny laureano .
in honor of these events , each of the minnesota youth symphonies ' four orchestras premiered original works by minnesotan composers .
full orchestral pieces were commissioned from composers stephen paulus , shelley hanson and mys alumnus edward -lrb- teddy -rrb- niedermaier .
to select the fourth work , mys held a composition competition open to mys students and alumni under the age of 21 .
aaron hirsch , of sleepy eye , minnesota won this contest with his composition for string orchestra .
since then , mys has celebrated 40 years in existence , as well as the laureanos continuing in artistic leadership .
mys has continued to collaborate with various artists and organizations from the twin cities and beyond .
mys in 2015 was invited to take part in the opening concerts at the newly renovated `` ordway '' .
during the renovation of `` orchestra hall '' for roughly two years , mys has performed in various venues around the twin cities , such as churches and concert halls .
the four orchestras continue to excel in artistic excellence season after season , and the mys organization continues to expand in opportunities for youth to grow artistically and to be exposed to the best orchestral music education possible .
