JENNIFER CORR

jcorr@antonmediagroup.com

On May 22, the Children’s Orchestra Society Young Symphonic Ensemble will travel from Syosset (where they rehearse at Community Church of Syosset) to Lincoln Center in Manhattan.

The 29th Annual Discovery Gala Concert combines the excellence of young musicians with special guests including 24-year-old Yung Li, an internationally recognized pianist; John F. Kennedy Senior High School Senior and cellist Kimon Vontas, an alumni of the Young Symphonic Ensemble; New York City based conductor Yoon Sang Timothy Cho, a faculty member of the Children’s Orchestra Society and Taiwanese-American violinist and conductor Kevin Shue, also a faculty member of the Children’s Orchestra.

Michael Dadap, the Children’s Orchestra Society artistic director since 1984 and an accomplished composer, guitarist, conductor educator and folklorist, will be leading the musicians through this concert.

The Syosset Jericho Tribune spoke with Dadap ahead of the concert as he reflected on his years leading the Children’s Orchestra Society with his wife, executive director Yeou-Cheng Ma, daughter of the orchestra’s late founder, Dr. H.T. Ma, and sister of cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Over the years the orchestra has grown from 35 string players to 125 students, with four orchestras and over six chamber groups.

Dadap: Every single concert, as far as I’m concerned as the artistic director and conductor, is entirely special and different in many senses. It’s hard to compare them, because I’m dealing with children who are ergonomic and fluid, meaning I do not have the same members [at the same concert] that happens every year... I wrote a piece, which is a celebration... that was performed in 1998, 25 years ago. That piece has been revived and it will be performed again at this concert. It will be performed by entirely different members of the orchestra. None of them has heard the piece yet, until the rehearsal. That’s special to me.

Syosset Jericho Tribune: How does this orchestra benefit the children that are a part of it?

Dadap: It’s a chance to express themselves, and everybody can gain more confidence and they can gain a lot of learning opportunities as a performer and as a colleague in chamber music... Those experiences benefit them when they interview for other opportunities in life. It becomes a life skill for them. Music is like a stepping stone for them, a stepping stone for life success. Over the years, we’ve been fortunate that about 35 percent of our graduates go to Ivy League schools.

Syosset Jericho Tribune: How has the move of the rehearsals been to members see ORCHESTRA on next page

(Flier courtesy the Children’s Orchestra Society)