NEW: Metrowest Youth Orchestra to Merge With Claflin Hill Symphony

Thursday, January 03, 2013

GoLocalWorcester Lifestyle Team

Two Central Mass symphonies will be joining forces in the new year, bringing together parents and students across the region in their shared love of classical music.

Framingham's Metrowest Youth Symphony Orchestra (MetYSO) got its start back in 2000 and calls MassBay Community College its home for rehearsals every Sunday afternoon from September to May. The group currently consists of the youth orchestra, made up of junior and senior high school students, a repertory ensemble, which serves as an introduction for younger string instrument students, and a youth wind ensemble, MetYSO's concert band of juniors and seniors. Altogether, the organization is comprised of over 60 students from more than 30 cities and towns in Central and Eastern Mass.

For most of its 12 years, MetYSO has been an independent non-profit group, with parents of musicians taking on boardmember responsibilities and organizing events and rehearsals, as well as auditions.

Then in 2005, Paul Surapine, the founder and executive and artistic director of the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra (CHSO) in Milford, took over as MetYSO's music director, and the CHSO became the official mentor orchestra of the young musicians' group, with its older, more experienced musicians acting as coaches and advisors for their aspiring colleagues.

Under Surapine's guidance, MetYSO grew from a single youth orchestra ensemble to its current three-ensemble configuration, doubling the size of its student membership along the way.

Most recently, members and Board of Directors of MetYSO voted in December to formally dissolve their organization and merge with the CHSO.

“We’re very excited at Claflin Hill to welcome MetYSO into our family,” said Surapine. “Since the establishment of our mentor relationship in 2005, we have enjoyed working with the students and families of MetYSO, and the partnership has been very fruitful and beneficial to both organizations."

Brian Pryhoda, the current president of MetYSO's board said the decision was broadly supported by his organizations members and board of directors.

"The MetYSO families see this move as insuring the continuation of this outstanding music program for youth in the years to come," he said. "Paul Surapine and The Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra have provided MetYSO’s dedicated young musicians with over eight years of advanced orchestral training in an atmosphere that is demanding, supportive, and fun. This merger will promote a more effective administration of the program while maintaining the mission envisioned by the original parents group who founded MetYSO in 2000.”

MetYSO’s next concert performance is Sunday, January 27, at 3p.m. at the MassBay Community College Wellesley campus. All three ensembles will perform a wide range of musical offerings from Leroy Anderson, to Wagner, Gounod, and The Lord of the Rings.

Auditions for openings in the orchestras for the spring semester will be held on Sunday, February 3, at the MassBay Framingham campus.