Today at Hilbert Circle Theater in downtown Indianapolis, a concert was held celebrating the 20th year of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra. Mayor Joe Hogsett was in attendance, and the CEO of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra read a proclamation declaring today “Betty Perry Day.” Betty Perry is the founder and director of the MYO, and the MYO is now one the ISO’s community outreach programs.
In addition to the mayor’s proclamation, the video includes a piece composed by a current MYO member named Alex McGrath for the occasion of the orchestra’s 20th anniversary, with the title “MYOverture.” It is a brand new piece, yet in places it incorporates several themes that are characteristic of the MYO’s repertoire, especially for its younger orchestras. It starts at the 6:35 mark in the video.
They also performed a number of other pieces, mostly jazz, including a couple by and featuring local electric violinist Cathy Morris. Here is her piece “Fleckish” from the concert:
I’ll share more videos from the concert once I’ve finished uploading them to YouTube. But I wanted to mention the concert and share some highlights from it before the end of the day, since I was really moved by the overwhelming outpouring of appreciation for the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra program from so many members of the Indianapolis community.
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