FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katie English, 267-974-1250
PYO Announces Donation from Légère Reeds Ltd. to Tune Up Philly
Phila after-school classical music education program receives 24 reeds from Canadian company.
Philadelphia, PA – October 27, 2011 (Download PDF). Maestro Louis Scaglione, President and Music Director of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra organization (PYO), today announced that Canadian-based Légère Reeds Ltd. is donating two dozen Signature Model reeds valued at more than $800 to PYO’s Tune Up Philly.
PYO’s Tune Up Philly is an after-school musical education program at the People For People Charter School at Broad St. and Fairmount Ave. in Philadelphia, designed to nurture urban, economically disadvantage children through weekday, out-of-school hours, classical musical instruction.
“The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra organization thanks Légère Reeds for its donation,” said Maestro Louis Scaglione. “Because of the generosity of people from Philadelphia and beyond, we are able to affect the lives school children through this powerful program.”
Tune Up Philly commenced in September 2010; its second year began October 3, 2011. Instructed by a nine local, professional musicians, the students in Tune Up Philly train five days a week during the school year, with concentrations in woodwind, brass, strings, choral and general music education. The program holds quarterly concerts, which are free and open to the public.
“The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra’s Tune Up Philly program is changing the lives of students in Philadelphia through music instruction,” said Tim Elvy, CSP, Vice President, Sales of Légère Reeds. “Légère Reeds’ Sound Results Program shares the same core values of PYO’s Tune Up Philly and helping kids play music is very near to our hearts.”
About the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra: Founded in 1939, the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra organization is one of the nation’s oldest community music education and youth orchestra performance programs for gifted and talented students from the Tri-State region. Lead by Maestro Louis Scaglione, the organization’s flagship ensemble, Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO), provides the most talented students with advanced orchestral training and performance opportunities throughout the concert season. PYO’s companion ensembles include the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra (PYAO), formed in 1996; Bravo Brass, added to the program in 2003; Philadelphia Region Youth String Music (PRYSM) created in 2007; and the Musicopia String Orchestra partnership, which began in 2008. Young musicians from ages six through 21 are selected by competition audition and have represented the United States on five continents. The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra organization offers classical musical performances to the Greater Philadelphia region each year and supports musical education to children from Philadelphia’s more vulnerable neighborhoods through its newest after-school program launched in 2010, Tune Up Philly.
About Légère Reeds Ltd: Based in Ontario, Canada, Légère Reeds Ltd. produces premium synthetic clarinet and saxophone reeds. They are used by players in the world's most prestigious orchestras, including the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras, as well as top session pros in New York and Los Angeles.
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