Empire State Youth Orchestras (ESYO) is an ensemble of classical music performing groups aimed at providing talented young musicians with an opportunity to participate in group ensembles with other similar musicians. Based in the Capital Region of upstate New York, ESYO ensembles are composed of a total of approximately 300 talented and musically advanced high- and middle-school students from New York and western New England. The most advanced group, the Symphony Orchestra, is considered one of the premier youth orchestras in the United States, and regularly performs concerts at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Ozawa Hall at the Tanglewood Music Center, and Carnegie Hall and in New York City. History In 1979, Barry Richman founded ESYO, consisting of a single orchestra, known as the "Youth Orchestra." Along with two colleagues, Lois Lyman and Eleanor Barnes, Richman brought together a group of parents and music educators. Together they organized an orchestra for some of the talented young musicians throughout the Capital Region. The Empire State Junior Orchestra was added in 1981 for middle-school aged students, and over time, additional ensembles were added to allow even more young people to participate. Today's ESYO consists of nine performing ensembles including over 300 musicians: two full orchestras, a wind orchestra, a string ensemble, two jazz ensembles, and three percussion ensembles. Previous conductors of the orchestra have included Victoria Bond, Eiji Oue, Paavo Järvi, Francisco Noya, Jin Kim, Burton Kaplan, Helen Cha-Pyo, and Carlos Ágreda. Ensembles ESYO is composed of thirteen ensembles: ESYO Symphony Orchestra - Etienne Abelin, Conductor ESYO Repertory Orchestra - David Beck, Conductor ESYO Wind Orchestra - Robert Hansbrough, Conductor ESYO String Orchestra - Joseph Gumpper, Conductor ESYO Youth Jazz Orchestra- Lee Russo, Conductor ESYO Repertory Jazz Orchestra - David Fisk, Conductor ESYO Youth Percussion Ensemble - Richard Albagli and Mark Foster, Co-Conductors ESYO Repertory Percussion Ensemble - Richard Albagli and John Antonio, Co-Conductors ESYO Chamber Percussion Ensemble - Genoveffa Vitale, Conductor ESYO Concertino Strings - Leo Milman, Conductor ESYO Concertino Wind Choir, Julie Taylor ESYO Concertino Brass Choir, Scott Hopkins ESYO Chorale, Rae Jean Teeter Programming The Youth Orchestra is well known for its 30+ year participation in CBS 6’s Melodies of Christmas (benefit concerts for the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at the Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center). ESYO’s ensembles also give approximately 30 public performances a year. ESYO reaches out to the community with