Wednesday, Sept. 19, is the deadline for music students to submit their applications to be part of the fall session of the Chamber Orchestra of the Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony. With rehearsals beginning Saturday, Sept. 29, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Lakewood, all advanced string, wind, and percussion students are invited to apply. Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony students are pictured backstage with their conductor, Bryan Eckenrode, far right, before May’s Spring Gala Concert at Chautauqua Institution. Submitted photo

The Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony is looking for advanced music students from Chautauqua County and surrounding counties who play an orchestral instrument: strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion.

Students playing at NYSSMA levels IV, V and VI are invited to apply for the Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony Chamber Orchestra by the Wednesday, Sept. 19, deadline.

Rehearsals begin Saturday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to noon at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 35 W. Fairmount Ave., Lakewood.

There will be performance possibilities during this fall session as well as opportunities to attend orchestra-related presentations in the area. Applications can be completed online at CRYouthSymphony.com.

Rehearsals begin in January for Prelude Strings, the beginning string players (NYSSMA level I), and Young Artists Orchestra of intermediate musicians (levels II and III). Interested students are encouraged to apply at CRYouthSymphony.com. Prelude rehearses on Friday afternoons and YAO on Saturday mornings, both at Gloria Dei.

The culmination of the 2018-19 season for all three orchestras will be their Spring Gala Concert on Sunday, May 19, in Chautauqua Institution’s Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall.

The Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony welcomes performance opportunities for its ensembles. Leaders of civic organizations and community groups who would like to explore program possibilities can email chautauquarys@gmail.com.

Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony orchestras are under the direction of cellist and conductor Bryan Eckenrode. Eckenrode’s extensive professional background includes conducting the Warren Philharmonic and Amherst Symphony Orchestras and serving as principal cellist with the Western New York Chamber Orchestra and the Southern Tier Symphony.

Assisting Eckenrode this season are Prelude Coach Marie Karbacka and String Coach Cody Hiller. Karbacka is director of orchestras for fifth through 12th grades at Southwestern Central Schools and was a longtime Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony musician. Hill instructs violin at Infinity Visual and Performing Arts, performs in the Southern Tier Symphony and the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, and serves as concertmaster of the Warren Philharmonic.

Both a former Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony student and board member, Tim Przybelinski is now its orchestra manager. Working with the combined Falconer/Frewsburg Marching Band, he is also the computer lab assistant at Falconer Central Schools. He is a member of the Jamestown Municipal Band and Chautauqua Big Band Swing.

For more information about the Chautauqua Regional Youth Symphony, including tuition rates, email chautauquarys@gmail.com or visit CRYouthSymphony.com.