The Cavalier Symphony at the University of Virginia. Photo courtesy of Daniel Fisher.

In Saturday’s (4/5) Cavalier, the student newspaper of the University of Virginia, Abigail Milne writes, “The Cavalier Symphony Orchestra, the University’s only student-run symphony orchestra, gives student musicians an opportunity to perform both classical and contemporary instrumental music in a supportive college ensemble. This semester’s CSO concert takes its audience on ‘The Wanderer’s Tale’—a hero’s journey narrated through a number of orchestral pieces.” Works include Jean Sibelius’ “Finlandia,” selections from Johannes Brahms, Modest Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” and the score of the Japanese film “Kiki’s Delivery Service.” “The CSO is a Contracted Independent Organization, meaning everything from conducting pieces to organizing concerts is done solely by students. The main orchestra practices classical and contemporary repertoire and is CSO’s largest group with around 100 members. Its philharmonic orchestra is a smaller ensemble of about 25 CSO musicians who elect to practice for an extra hour each week to perform additional music during their concerts at the end of each semester. CSO offers student musicians a more relaxed alternative to music department-affiliated ensembles like the Charlottesville Symphony, and neither of the main orchestras require an audition to join…. Virginia Lee, CSO co-president and third-year College student, plays cello in both [university] orchestras. She says she appreciates how CSO brings classical music to a wide audience…. Lee said … ‘We’re all college students, and we love music, and we want to bring that love of music out.’ ”

In Saturday’s (4/5) Cavalier, the student newspaper of the University of Virginia, Abigail Milne writes, “The Cavalier Symphony Orchestra, the University’s only student-run symphony orchestra, gives student musicians an opportunity to perform both classical and contemporary instrumental music in a supportive college ensemble. This semester’s CSO concert takes its audience on ‘The Wanderer’s Tale’—a hero’s journey narrated through a number of orchestral pieces.” Works include Jean Sibelius’ ‘Finlandia, selections from Johannes Brahms, Modest Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ and the score of the Japanese film “Kiki’s Delivery Service.” “The CSO is a Contracted Independent Organization, meaning everything from conducting pieces to organizing concerts is done solely by students. The main orchestra practices classical and contemporary repertoire and is CSO’s largest group with around 100 members. Its philharmonic orchestra is a smaller ensemble of about 25 CSO musicians who elect to practice for an extra hour each week to perform additional music during their concerts at the end of each semester. CSO offers student musicians a more relaxed alternative to music department-affiliated ensembles like the Charlottesville Symphony, and neither of the main orchestras require an audition to join…. Virginia Lee, CSO co-president and third-year College student, plays cello in both [university] orchestras. She says she appreciates how CSO brings classical music to a wide audience…. Lee said … ‘We’re all college students, and we love music, and we want to bring that love of music out.’ ”