In Sunday’s (5/19) Boston Globe, Jeremy Eichler writes, “Born under storm clouds yet clearly thriving at the end of its first year, the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra gave its final local performance of the season on Wednesday in Sanders Theatre. Next month the ensemble, under the direction of Benjamin Zander, sets out on an ambitious five-concert tour of the Netherlands. Claiming a slightly different niche than the other fine youth orchestras in town, BPYO draws advanced students all the way up through their undergraduate years, with roughly 40 percent of the ensemble in college (or conservatory) and 60 percent in high school. Wednesday’s program seemed designed to showcase the depth of talent within its own ranks, and was devoted mostly to individual movements from various concertos, delivered by a parade of musicians from the orchestra. The program began and ended with works seemingly chosen to showcase the collective virtuosity of the orchestra: Tchaikovsky’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Fantasy-Overture and Ravel’s ‘La Valse.’ … At the end of its first season, it’s clear that BPYO has already become a prized addition to a thriving youth-music scene. It’s also clearly a good moment to be a young classical musician in this city, with more large ensembles than ever before.”
Posted May 20, 2013
