Albany Symphony and ESYO Present a Family-Friendly Afternoon of Music and Mentorship for all ages and abilities at the MVP Arena in Downtown Albany Monday, Oct. 14th   

ALBANY, NY – Following the success of last year’s “Movie Music Play-In,” which engaged more than 1,500 people, the Albany Symphony and Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO) are thrilled to announce an exciting afternoon of collaborative music, generously supported by the Innovation Partnership between Albany County and MVP Health Care. This special free family-friendly event, entitled “Symphony Side-by-Side,” is designed to engage and entertain audiences of all ages and will take place at the MVP Arena on October 14 at 3:00pm.   

In this unique opportunity, members of ESYO and high school and college students across the Capital Region will join forces with the Grammy Award-winning Albany Symphony. Together, they will rehearse and perform, gaining invaluable experience in the professional symphonic performance process. An orchestra of Albany Symphony and ESYO students sitting literally side-by-side will perform a dynamic selection of music, ranging from blockbuster hits in film, television, and video games to beloved symphonic classics.   

The event will culminate in a grand finale featuring participation from community musicians of all ages, celebrating the uniting power of music. For the program finale, all participating audience members are invited to the stage with their own instruments in hand to add their voices to an uproarious performance of John Williams’ iconic “Imperial March,” and Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”   

Adding to the day’s festivities, families are invited to enjoy a variety of activities, including an “instrument petting zoo” where children can discover and try out different musical instruments. This event promises to be a fun and enriching experience for the entire family.   

Students and community musicians can find more information, music to download and a sign-up form here: https://www.albanysymphony.com/upcomingconcerts/symphony-side-by-side. Sign up to participate by September 19!   

“The investment the Innovation Partnership made last year demonstrated that there was an interest and a need for us to make this happen again,” said Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy. “When Albany County and MVP Health Care made a commitment to open the arena for events that would encourage the community to join us for new engaging and educational experiences, we knew that by reaching out to other organizations to help us in this endeavor, we would attract new audiences. This Symphony Side-by-Side is an example of that.”   

“We are excited to open our doors for an event that brings together young musicians with the professionals in the industry.  It gives such an amazing opportunity to everyone involved, from the talented musicians who are a part of ESYO, to the seasoned professionals of the Albany Symphony,” said MVP Arena General Manager Bob Belber.  “With the generosity of the Innovation Partnership, MVP Healthcare and Albany County we are able to host this event and allow the general public to come in for free to witness all of this talent the capital region has to offer, and then to be able to let the people in attendance join in and play with them is really something to see.  We are honored to be able to be a part of this for a second year.”  

“MVP Health Care is passionate about leveraging the power of collaboration and innovation to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities,” emphasized Chris Del Vecchio, President and CEO of MVP Health Care. “To bring this vision to life, we are dedicated to forging impactful regional community coalitions that share our commitment to supporting whole-person health and well-being. Our partnership with Albany County exemplifies this commitment, and we take great pride in joining forces with the county in celebration of the extraordinary musical talent showcased by The Albany Symphony and the Empire State Youth Orchestra. This free concert will captivate people of all ages, serving as a gateway to celebrate the vibrancy and richness of our community.”  

“This event is especially meaningful in these times,” said ESYO Music Director Etienne Abelin. “In a world that can often feel divided, coming together—young and old, professional musicians, students, and music lovers—to create something beautiful is a powerful reminder of our shared humanity.”   

“The Albany Symphony and I are so excited to once again join our amazing ESYO friends, student musicians from public schools across our region, and amateur musicians from throughout our community in this thrilling celebration of the incredible power of great symphonic music,” said Albany Symphony Music Director, David Alan Miller.  “The highlight of last year’s concert was the final piece, in which more than 150 musicians from our community joined more than 150 musicians from our two orchestras in an unforgettable performance of John Williams’ “Imperial March” from Star Wars. So, dust off your violin, saxophone, trumpet, or whatever, and come on down!  We’ll also be playing lots of your favorite music from film, TV, and video games, along with some classical hits.  We want to give a big “thank you” to Albany County Executive, Dan McCoy, and all of our friends at MVP Healthcare and MVP Arena for making this incredible musical event possible again this year.”     

“It was so much fun last year,” said ESYO and Guilderland High School student musician Daniel Byon. “Playing with professional musicians, hearing the sound of this huge orchestra, performing all this great music, and making new friends was really cool. I can’t wait for this year’s concert!”   

About Empire State Youth Orchestra: Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO) engages, inspires and empowers youth through music in a progressive learning environment leading to high-level performance opportunities. More than 500 youth from New York’s Capital Region and western New England are selected by audition each year to perform in ESYO. With 14 performing ensembles and orchestras suiting a range of playing levels, members receive training from outstanding conductors and coaches, and tutelage from extraordinary guest artists. In 2015, ESYO launched CHIME (Creating Harmony Inspiring Musical Excellence) in Schenectady to address fundamental inequities preventing universal access to high level music opportunities for young people. Today, this free music program serves more than 150 Schenectady students. Founded in 1979, ESYO is a not-for-profit organization that has been recognized as a premier music education/performance program for youth and has received three ASCAP awards. For more information, visit esyo.org.   

About the Albany Symphony: The Albany Symphony is one of this region’s most revered music and cultural institutions, having won numerous national awards for its adventurous concert programming, recording projects, composer residencies, and innovative educational efforts involving area schools throughout the region. As the premier professional orchestra based in the Capital Region, the Albany Symphony enriches a broad and diverse regional community in upstate New York, Western Massachusetts, and Southern Vermont.  For more information, visit albanysymphony.com.