The Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) has completed an international tour of Finland, Sweden, and Estonia, performing for audiences and participating in cultural and educational activities.
The tour began with a visit to Ainola, the home of composer Jean Sibelius, where students learned about Sibelius’s life and work. The orchestra then performed for Maestro Jorma Panula, a respected Finnish conductor and teacher who has mentored many of today’s leading conductors.
CYSO performed concerts in Pohjanranta and at Haparanda Church in Sweden, where the ensemble played during a church service. The students also participated in the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, the largest folk music festival in the Nordic region, performing and attending other festival events.
In addition to their performances, the students visited several cultural and historic sites, including Santa Claus Village, where they crossed the Arctic Circle, and a wildlife preserve that featured polar bears, brown bears, moose, and other animals. They also visited Kalajoki Beach, explored water and adventure parks, and took part in traditional Finnish sauna experiences.
The final days of the tour were spent in Helsinki, where the group toured the Fazer chocolate factory, visited the Rock Church, and took a ferry to Suomenlinna, a historic island fort. The tour concluded with a trip to Tallinn, Estonia, where students explored the city’s historic architecture and cultural landmarks.
“This tour provided our students with valuable performance opportunities and a chance to connect with music and culture beyond their own community,” said Dane Krich, Executive Director of CYSO. “It was a meaningful experience that they will carry forward into their music education.”
The Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra thanks the families, supporters, and partners who made the tour possible. For more information about CYSO, including auditions and upcoming events, visit www.cysomusic.org.
About Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra
For over three decades, the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) has been fostering a passion for music among the youth of Annapolis and surrounding communities—creating the next generation of performers and music lovers! With distinguished conductors and pedagogues, a musically diverse offering of ensembles, and some of the best young instrumentalists that Anne Arundel County and surrounding areas have to offer. CYSO not only empowers its students to become lifelong lovers and performers of music, it most importantly provides its members with opportunities and memories that will last a lifetime.
