Chicago Festival of Youth in Music

This month, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and a dozen Chicago-based music education organizations launched a new initiative to encourage youth engagement in music with the  “Chicago Festival of Youth in Music.”

Joshua Jones with Gustavo Dudamel

Percussionist and From the Top alum Joshua Jones (pictured) was among the hundreds of participants. He writes: “I had the privilege of performing in this collaboration and working with the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra. Through an audition process, musicians were chosen to participate in a side-by-side workshop with them. Cliff Colnot (Civic Orchestra of Chicago)  held four rehearsals with this group. I played xylophone and glockenspiel on Overture to Candide, and timpani 2 on Mahler 1st Symphony. I did get a chance to meet Gustavo Dudamel, and he conducted us at the performance yesterday. It was the best experience I’ve had with an orchestra to date!”

Learn more about Chicago’s Festival of Youth in Music.

See more photos from the festival on Facebook.

More photos from Josh of the side-by-side workshop and concert with the  Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra