MYSO Orchestra presents Winter Concert with Lisle Marimbist

The Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) will perform virtually on Wednesday evening March 3, 2021 at 7:30 at Lewis University. The live streaming of the concert can be enjoyed at www.mysomusic.org for free, with a suggested donation of ten dollars.

The Light in the Dark concert will include Bach’s Allegro from Sinfonia No. 6, Warlock’s Capriol Suite, Rosauro’s Concerto for Marimba with Guest Soloist Laura Franklin, a string orchestra arrangement Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade by Carrie Lane Gruselle, and the world premiere of Hope in the Dark by Marie Sin Young Park.

Featured Marimba Soloist Laura Franklin is founding Dean of the College of Humanities, Fine Arts and Communications at Lewis University. Franklin earned the Doctor of Musical Arts in Percussion Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the Master of Music in Performance and the Master of Music in Musicology from the New England Conservatory of Music, and the Bachelor of Music in Performance from Texas Tech University. She is an active percussionist, performing regularly as a chamber and orchestral musician, in addition to being a solo marimbist. She has presented numerous performances, workshops, and masterclass throughout New England, the Southeast, the Midwest and Hawaii. A well-known percussion pedagogue, Franklin is a founding member of the National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy (NCPP), and has served on the Board of Advisors for NCPP since 2001. In addition to performance and pedagogy activities, she has performed many roles in service to the arts. Franklin is an executive board member of the International Council of Fine Arts Deans. She is also a former board member of the National Association of Schools of Music, a former chair of the International Percussive Arts Society (PAS) Research Committee, and former president of the North Carolina Chapter of PAS.

Dr. Benjamin Firer leads the award-winning youth orchestra in his inaugural season as MYSO’s new maestro. Dr. Firer is Director of Orchestra and Opera at Northern Illinois University, where he conducts the NIU Philharmonic, Opera Theatre, and teaches music courses. Firer is also conductor of the Northeastern Illinois University and the Chicago Chamber Music Festival. He holds a Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting from Northwestern University and a Master’s Degree from Yale University.

Founded in 1959 the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra has resided in Will County since 1991. Players in MYSO come from area high schools and middle schools, as well as Lewis University and Joliet Junior College.

MYSO rehearses every Wednesday evening that school is in session from 6:15 to 8:45 at Lewis University. The orchestra currently has openings in their viola and double bass sections. For more concert and audition information, visit www.mysomusic.org.