an annual free concert for senior citizens, concerts for young people, recitals in nursing homes, and performances at public events. In addition, the ensembles perform an annual "Playathon" fundraiser at Crossgates Mall in which they play for the entire day. In May 2010, the Youth Orchestra performed for the first time at EMPAC at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the grand finale concert of the Albany Symphony Orchestra's American Music Festival. Other ESYO ensembles routinely perform at the Massry Center for the Arts, The College of Saint Rose, as well as at area high schools. The Repertory Orchestra routinely performs with Albany Pro Musica at its annual High School Choral Festival. In June 2011, ESYO won 2nd prize for Adventurous Programming (Youth Division) from ASCAP (American Society of Composer, Authors, and Publishers). The award was presented to Music Director Helen Cha-Pyo at the League of American Orchestra's annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This was the 3rd ASCAP award for ESYO; in June 2008, ESYO received 1st prize for Adventurous Programming (Youth Division) and the rarely presented Award for American Programming on Foreign Tours. During June 2020, ESYO live streamed a three-day digital music festival titled "#SoundingTogether" among the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign took at-home video from students and musicians and broadcast them in a virtual concert format. During Day 3 of the festival, ESYO unveiled the first ever 360° video At-Home Orchestra, which featured 125 musicians performing "Ay Caray", an original composition by Carlos Ágreda in a 3d environment. Touring The Youth Orchestra embarked on a fifth international tour in the summer of 2012 after accepting an invitation to perform at the 2012 World Expo in Yeosu, South Korea. The orchestra also gave concerts in Beijing, Shanghai, and Seoul. Previous tours included traveling to Austria and Hungary in 1989, to Spain in 1994, to Germany and the Czech Republic in 2000, and to Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria in 2008. In the Summer of 2018 the ESYO Wind Orchestra embarked on an international tour for the first time, including Hungary. The 2008 tour was particularly distinguished as the Youth Orchestra premiered American composer Samuel Adler's piece "A Bridge to Understanding" with Dr. Adler accompanying the orchestra on tour. "A Bridge to Understanding" was commissioned by ESYO for its Youth Orchestra to perform in a festival of new music in March 2008. During that festival, ESYO ensembles premiered nine pieces -