History: The Youth Chamber Connection was formalized in Summer of 2015 as a combined program of Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras [TRYPO], the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra [PYSO], and Duquesne University’s City Music Center [CMC], with administration provided by TRYPO. TRYPO and CMC have both had formal chamber music programs for a number of years but combined efforts in the 2013-14 season to bring the management of a joint program under TRYPO’s administration. PYSO has had limited chamber music op-portunities for students throughout the years. In the 2015-16 season, PYSO joined TRYPO and CMC as a partner and the program be-came the Youth Chamber Connection [YC2].

Program structure: • EDUCATION TRACK: Beginning and intermediate students work with a coach for 45 minutes weekly on recital repertoire

and are expected to perform in two group recitals each year. Additional, optional group performances are also made avail-able. Coachings are scheduled every Saturday at Duquesne University from September to May (holiday weeks excluded).

• PERFORMANCE TRACK: Advanced students (YPO and PYSO-level students) rehearse for 90 minutes weekly (including a 45-60 minute coaching during that block). Rehearsals are scheduled most often on Saturday or Sunday (when possible coor-dinated around students' orchestra rehearsal), October through May (holiday weeks excluded) at Duquesne University or the Catholic Charities Building, a short walk from Heinz Hall. Performance Track students are expected to complete a mini-mum of four performances including one recital, one media -based performance (such as playing live on the radio), one community-engagement performance, and one additional performance of their choosing. Additional, optional perfor-mance opportunities are made available throughout the year. Performance Track students are not paid for performances, however, students who satisfactorily meet the requirements of the program are eligible for small summer scholarship grants applicable toward continuing their music education.

Other bonuses & developments: • YC2 is a collaborative program between TRYPO, PYSO, and CMC. This is PYSO and TRYPO’s very first time officially working together

and we are excited to be building a long-overdue bridge between these two sister organizations! • Our dedicated coaching team is comprised largely of members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, faculty of City Music Center,

and Duquesne University, as well as other talented local free-lancers and educators. • Some of the notable performances in recent years have included a performance at the PA Supreme Court Summit at Seven Springs,

a featured hour at the Three Rivers Arts Festival, performances at the Chautauqua Institute, etc. • For the first time in many years, a student chamber music group won a Pittsburgh Concert Society young artist award. • We have put together a common repertoire book for students to use at community performances. Selections include standard

string quartet repertoire. We are working on a violin III transcription book in order to create more flexibility among groups. • After working through various technology methods, we have found a great option for scheduling through SmartSheet, an online

spreadsheet resource. This combined with Remind 101 helps us coordinate schedules as efficiently as possible. • YC2 creates opportunities for student composers to write and premiere new works! • An outgrowth of YC2 is YC2 in CHAUTAUQUA, a summer program in partnership with the Chautauqua Institute which gives teens a

week to focus on chamber music and orchestral music. Enrollment in 2015 was 26 students, and 2016 enrollment was 50 students.

www.youthchamberconnection.org ♫♫♫♫♫♫ staff@youthchamberconnection.org

YC2 progress by the numbers: 2014-15

(TRYPO/CMC Program) 2015-16

(YC2 first year) 2016-17

(YC2 second year)

Number of students participating in chamber music: 34 60 85

Number of Education Track Ensembles: 4 5 6

Number of Performance Track Ensembles 4 10 15

Number of coachings: 150 255 504

Number of community performances/recitals: 43 66 100

Estimated audience reach: 19,890 24,465 25,000 (est.)

Need based scholarships awarded: $2,000 $3,985 $4,800

YC2 Fact Sheet: 2016-17 Season

Argent Trio with Coach Marta Krechkovksy

ContraQuartet with Coach Betsy Heston

Penn Quartet at Chautauqua

Amadeus Quartet with PYSO Music

Director Francesco Lecce-Chong

Aurora Quartet at Carnegie Mellon

Middle C Quartet at Heinz Hall

Metrognomes with

Coach Freya Samuels Ventus Winds at Heinz Hall

VOC Trio with Coach Aubrey Ploesch

Onyx Quartet with

Coach Michael DeBruyn

Chamber Night with Conductor Eddie Leonard from Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh

Fox Quartet with Coach

Michael DeBruyn

2015-16 Community Performances

# DATE ORGANIZATION TYPE OF EVENT PERFORMING GROUPS 1 08/30/15 Third Presbyterian Church Special Music Chautauqua Strings

2 09/06/15 Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church Special Music Chautauqua Strings

3 09/20/15 Friendship Village Special Music Chautauqua Strings/ Penn

4 10/08/15 Friends of the PSO Oct Meeting Aurora

5 10/24/15 Pittsburgh Symphony Fiddlesticks Concert Various

6 10/31/15 SLB Youth Expression Showcase Penn

7 11/12/15 Friends of the PSO Nov Meeting Amadeus

8 11/22/15 PSO via Pgh Symph Assoc Shadyside Splendor Open House Argent, Amadeus, Aurora, Contra, Middle C, Penn, Ventus

9 12/04/15 LaRoche College Festival of Lights Chautauqua Strings

10 12/05/15 CMC Recital Recital Everest, VOC, Quizzical, Metrognomes

11 12/12/15 DAR Holiday Party Amadeus

12 12/12/15 SLB Youth Expression Showcase Fox

13 12/20/15 Pittsburgh Symphony Preconcert Penn

14 01/02/16 Sisters of Divine Prov Holiday Lunch Argent

15 01/02/16 SLB Youth Expression Showcase Amadeus

16 01/14/16 Friends of the PSO Jan Meeting Various

17 01/16/16 Renaissance & Baroque Pre-Concert Amadeus

18 01/17/16 PYSO Board Birthday Party for donor Various

19 01/29/16 Pittsburgh Symphony Preconcert Contra

20 01/30/16 Friends of Don Evans Fundraising Event Contra

21 02/04/16 Chamber Orch of Pgh Preconcert Aurora

22 02/06/16 Renaissance & Baroque Society Preconcert on stage Aurora

23 02/06/16 PSO Fiddlesticks Concert Onyx

24 02/10/16 Pgh Speaker Series Diana Nyad Ventus

25 02/13/16 SLB Youth Expression Showcase Middle C

26 02/14/16 PYSO Preconcert Various

27 02/15/16 PSO Symphony East Symphony East Fox

28 02/19/16 PYSO Silent Auction Item Private party Amadeus

29 02/19/16 Pittsburgh Symphony Preconcert Ventus

30 02/21/16 Chamber Music Pgh Recital Penn

31 02/27/16 TRYPO Symphonette Chamber Day Metrognomes, Quizzical

32 03/05/16 SLB Youth Expression Showcase Ventus

33 03/05/16 Renaissance & Baroque Pre-Concert Ventus

34 03/06/16 Pittsburgh Concert Society Young Artists Recital Penn

35 03/10/16 Friends of the PSO March Meeting Middle C

36 03/11/16 Pittsburgh Symphony Preconcert Pendulum

37 03/16/16 Pgh Speaker Series Leon Panetta Amadeus

38 03/18/16 City of Pittsburgh Pgh BiCentennial Various

39 04/06/16 Pgh Speaker Series Dave Barry Penn

40 04/09/16 Pittsburgh Symphony Fiddlesticks Concert Pendulum

41 04/17/16 Pgh Youth Chorus Joint Concert Middle C

42 04/24/16 Allegh Historic Preservation Society Tiffany Concert Series Amadeus

43 04/24/16 Allegh History Preservation Society Octet Performance Penn & Aurora

44 04/25/16 Chamber Music Pgh Preconcert Penn

45 04/30/16 SLB Radio Broadcast Pendulum

# DATE ORGANIZATION TYPE OF EVENT PERFORMING GROUPS

46 04/30/16 Educ Track Recital Recital Everest, VOC, Quizzical, Metrognomes

47 05/04/16 PYSO Board Meeting Fox

48 05/07/16 Pgh Parks Conservancy Hat Luncheon Aurora

49 05/08/16 Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Recital Penn

50 05/12/16 Friends of the PSO May Meeting Argent

51 05/12/16 Chamber Orch of Pgh Preconcert Contra

52 05/13/16 PSO Preconcert Amadeus

53 05/14/16 Pgh School for Choral Arts Performance w choir Penn

54 05/15/16 PSO Preconcert Fox

55 05/22/16 PYSO Preconcert Quizzical, VOC, Everest, Metrognomes

56 05/28/16 SLB Youth Expression Onyx

57 06/01/16 Shadyside Presbyterian Music in a Great Space Various

58 06/02/16 Ladies Hospital Aid Society LHAS Amadeus

59 06/11/16 Three Rivers Arts Festival TRAF Amadeus

60 06/15/16 Blind & Vision Rehabilitation Services Special Event Aurora

61 08/14/16 UUF Chautauqua OP Performance @ Church Chautauqua Strings

62 08/14/16 Chaut Sunday Worship OP Performance @ Church Chautauqua

63 08/14/16 Chaut Sacred Song Serv OP Performance @ Service Various

64 08/16/16 Chaut Methodist House OP Performance @ Social Hour Fox-Amadeus

65 08/17/16 Chautauqua President's Cottage OP Chautauqua Pres Cottage Aurora

66 08/19/16 Chautauqua Institution OP Morning Worship Chautauqua Strings

2015-16 Community Performances (con’t)