MEDIA ADVISORY
Join the Richmond Symphony and Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program for a Free Concert at Pocahontas State Park
Saturday, May 30 at 7:00 pm
Pocahontas State Park – Heritage Amphitheater
10301 State Park Road, Chesterfield VA 23832

May 13, 2015 – Richmond, Virginia The Richmond Symphony invites you to enjoy a free outdoor concert on Saturday, May 30 at 7:00 pm. Bring a blanket, picnic basket and family and friends, and enjoy the sounds of a live orchestra at the beautiful Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield, VA. The evening will be led by Associate Conductor, Keitaro Harada and includes selections from My Fair Lady, What’s Up at the Symphony? (Bugs Bunny’s Greatest Hits), Suite for Orchestra from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and more!

Arrive early for a pre-concert performance by the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program beginning at 5:00 pm.

This concert is FREE and open to the public (no ticket required). A $5 parking fee applies.

In the event of rain, this concert will be held without a pre-concert performance on Sunday,
May 31 at 7:00 pm at James River High School, 3700 James River Road, Midlothian, VA 23113.

About the Richmond Symphony

Founded in 1957, the Richmond Symphony is the largest performing arts organization in Central Virginia. The organization includes an orchestra of more than 70 professional musicians, the 150-voice Richmond Symphony Chorus and more than 260 students in the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra programs. Each season, more than 200,000 members of the community enjoy concerts, radio broadcasts, and educational outreach programs. The Richmond Symphony is partially funded by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

History of Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program

The Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program was created in the spring of 1962 and is the oldest youth orchestra in Virginia. Leaders of the newly formed Richmond Symphony partnered with Richmond Public Schools to offer music students the opportunity to participate in a full orchestra experience and provide an exemplary orchestral experience for young musicians.

The Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program (YOP) provides quality musical opportunities for student musicians. More than 260 school-aged musicians within a 100-mile radius of Richmond rehearse weekly with one of the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program’s four ensembles. YOP is recognized as central Virginia’s premier orchestral training program and is in the forefront of the local arts community with a busy concert schedule that includes fall, winter and spring concerts for all of its ensembles.

The Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program is committed to training young musicians, nurturing future performers and developing new audiences. We encourage and welcome everyone, whether a first-time listener or a seasoned concert-goer, to experience the magic of our talented young musicians performing together. YOP alumni can be found in major orchestras around the world including the Richmond Symphony!  Many of our alumni become professional musicians, many become music teachers, while others pursue careers unrelated to the arts and aspire to major leadership roles in their communities.