GPAC Youth Symphony Program Spring Concert: Just Dance

Have you ever found yourself tapping your foot or nodding your head to the rhythm of music? Music and movement are intrinsically connected, and this semester, the GPAC Youth Symphony Program (GYSP) will explore that relationship through a concert titled Just Dance, featuring the Mozart String Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Mendelssohn String Orchestra, Chamber Strings, and the Youth Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with Ballet Memphis. Through works including Intermezzo Sinfonico from Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana, Alice Mary Smith’s rarely performed Symphony in C minor, the third movement of Concerto for Flute and Orchestra by Carl Reinecke, featuring our concerto competition winner Hanna Yu, and John Stevens’ Benediction, with choreography by Ballet Memphis’ Brandon Ramey, the GYSP will present a program that highlights the intersections of what we hear and how we move through the world around us.

The GYSP gives opportunities for young musicians across the Mid-South area to perform musical masterworks under the direction of experienced conductors and teachers, to improve upon their technique, learn basic music theory, work with an ensemble, and interact with professional guest artists performing at GPAC. With four distinct ensembles, GYSP’s excellent music education fosters musical growth with an emphasis on the interconnectedness of art, music, culture, history, and society. Through this program, our students are equipped with the tools to become the next generation of music advocates, educators, performers, and patrons.