Deute Lavete...

The Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra presents a concert with young soloists, dedicated to its first conductor Michalis Stavrides, on the occasion of its 25th anniversary, under the music direction of its artistic director Yiorgos Kountouris.
 
In the first part, we will have the opportunity to enjoy the orchestra accompanying young soloists in works by Verdi, Mozart, Webern, Gershwin and others. After the entr’acte, the Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra collaborates with the choirs “Leandros Sitaros” of Pnevmatiki Stegi, Nicosia and PA.SY.D.Y, for the world premier of the Oratorio “Deute Lavete…” by Michalis Stavrides (poetry Theoklis Kouyialis). The work is characterised from the coexistence of the Byzantine melos and the western music traditions. The work is composed for 4‐part choir, four soloists, four chanters and symphony orchestra. For this work, the orchestra collaborates with chanters: George Thucydides, Marios Solomou, Marios Thoukididis and Michael Sivakas as well as with the soloists Avra Shiati (soprano), Elli Aloneftou (alto), Antonios Koutroupis (tenor) and Kiriakos Sophocleous (baritone).
 
The concert will take place on Tuesday 7 May 2013 at the Strovolos Municipal Theatre, Nicosia, at 20:30. The entrance is free for the public. For more information please contact 22 463144 or visit www.cyso.org.cy .
 
The Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra was founded by cabinet decision in 1987 as Cyprus Youth State Orchestra, along with the Cyprus State Chamber Orchestra, and functioned under the auspices of the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture. As from January 2007, its administration has been undertaken by the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation. The orchestra gives concerts in Cyprus as well as abroad and performs regularly on official occasions, as a symphonic whole and often in symphonic wind orchestra or chamber music ensembles. It has provided programmes to such events as the Prize‐giving Ceremony of the European Schools' Competition and the opening of the State Educational Fair. In 2006 the orchestra performed at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Conference for Educational Administration and Management as well as of the Euro‐Mediterranean Youth Forum of UNESCO.  

An activity of paramount importance is the annual International Summer Academy, organized at the high mountain resort of Pedoulas. The final concerts of the Summer Academies 2007‐2009, 2011 and 2012 were presented within the respective International Kypria Festivals. In 2010 the orchestra performed with great success at the 1st International Youth Orchestras Festival which took place in Constantinoupole, Cultural Capital of Europe 2010 and with the same programme in Cyprus within the 50‐year anniversary celebrations of the Republic of Cyprus.  
 
Since 1990 the Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra has been supported by the Music Workshop which offers talented young musicians free individual tuition by select instrumental pedagogues on all orchestral instruments. The faculty consists of selected members of the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra. The Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Music Workshop presented its 1st annual gala concert, on Sunday 21 April 2013 at Pallas Theatre, Nicosia, under the auspices of the Minister of Education and Culture Mr. Kyriakos Kenevezos.

The Conductors that the Orchestra worked with were Michalis Stavrides (1987‐2004), Andreas Charalambous (1987‐89), Wayne Bennett (1991‐92), Aaron Dimont (1993‐2004), Roland Melia (1998‐2002) and Ayis Ioannides (1990‐92), who also held the position of Artistic Director / Conductor of the CyYSO during the periods 1993‐98 and 2005‐12. As from January 2013, Yiorgos Kountouris was appointed as the Artistic Director / Conductor of the CyYSO.