About
|
MISSION STATEMENT The Calgary Youth Orchestra is an internationally renowned youth orchestra and is the flagship ensemble of the Mount Royal University Conservatory. The Calgary Youth Orchestra contributes to the community by providing opportunities for unique musical, educational and cultural experiences for all young musicians in the greater Calgary area. The CYO is committed to the development of youth and to excellence in musicianship. VALUES The CYO values: Musical skill and discipline, personal commitment, teamwork and community service. |
Testimonials from CYO members:
“Being part of the CYO has proved to be vastly more challenging and enriching than I would have possibly imagined.” B.W.
“I still remember the state of extreme panic I was during my very first CYO rehearsal in which I swear, I don’t think I used my brain that much ever before… CYO really has been an invaluable part of my musical education, and really one of the biggest influences towards my decision of continuing music and choosing music as a future career path.” A.P.
“Being able to say that I looked forward to every single orchestra rehearsal shows to me the profoundly positive effects that my time with the orchestra has had on me…Furthermore, the opportunity to travel to France and Germany with the orchestra has given me an incredible amount of life experience that is ultimately priceless.” H.W.
“I was not sure what I wanted to be in the future. However, as soon as the first two months of CYO passed, I made up my mind that I would work hard to be a member of an orchestra.” A.K.
“With such a contrast to regular school band, the orchestra has presented many challenges, and has been a wonderful incentive to practice, improve, and prepare. The CYO is easily the highest level group I’ve played with continuously, and has shown me what I want to do with my life. My education with the CYO has had an enormous impact – it is dubious if either NYO or UNT would be on my agenda without my CYO orchestral experience.” C.L.
“My first CYO rehearsal filled me up with such a peculiar combination of emotions…Once Mr. Agopian cued the first note and the orchestra came in together, it was as if a spark had rushed into me, and ignited a love of being immersed in music, passion for setting goals to improve beyond what anyone would expect, and a desire to gain the respect and confidence of my fellow students in creating something that we could not create alone. From that moment on, I knew that I not only wanted, but needed to be there.” K.M.
“The opportunities and experiences that I got in the orchestra, whether it be playing a Shostakovich symphony for the first time or playing for Maori warriors for the first time, are invaluable.” S.C.
“I was able to navigate from junior to junior orchestra with little difficulty. However, that all changed when I reached the holy grail of non-professional orchestras – the Calgary Youth Orchestra.” J.D.
The Calgary Youth Orchestra (CYO), considered to be the flagship ensemble of the Mount Royal University Conservatory, is recognized as one of the finest youth orchestras in the country. Under its music director, Edmond Agopian, the CYO has toured Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and New Zealand.
The CYO was honoured to perform for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Calgary in May 2005, and for His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, at the Saddledome in 2009.
The orchestra has commissioned works from a number of composers, most recently Canadian composers Michael van der Sloot, George Fenwick, Laurie Radford and Scott Ross-Molyneux. The CYO has also presented the world premieres of works by Claude Debussy, completed and orchestrated by the renowned English musicologist Robert Orledge.
The CYO has worked with such illustrious conductors as Roberto Minczuk, Mario Bernardi, Bramwell Tovey, Ivars Taurins, Jean Lamon, Andrés Cárdenes and Hans Graf, among others.
The orchestra has performed in collaboration with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and with Jeunesse Classique Ballet , at festivals throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, and on-stage at the 2008 Juno Awards.
CYO alumni can be found in such world-renowned ensembles as the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as all major Canadian orchestras.
CYO’s recording of music from Western movies titled The Thrill of the Western has received excellent reviews, including one from Rick Phillips, CBC Radio’s Sound Advice:
“Imaginative interpretation… nicely pulled off… played to the fullest, with enthusiasm and energy…”
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CALGARY YOUTH ORCHESTRA
The Calgary Youth Orchestra was founded in 1957 by the late Frank Simpson as the Calgary Junior Philharmonic School Orchestra. The initial funding to establish the orchestra was provided by the late John Bach, a previous Director of the Mount Royal University Conservatory. In 1965, the orchestra joined the Conservatory at Mount Royal College. When Mount Royal University moved to the present Lincoln Park Campus in 1973 the CYO moved along with the Conservatory. The CYO Society was incorporated in 1973, which served to broaden the basis for community involvement and financial support of the CYO. In 1984, artistic direction for the CYO came under the umbrella of the Conservatory. The CYO is now the flagship ensemble associated with the Orchestral Program of Mount Royal University Conservatory.
Over the years, the CYO Directors have been:
Frank Simpson (Founding Director), 1963 -1984
John Thompson, 1984-1988
Nicholas Pulos, 1988-1992
Tyrone Paterson, 1992-1993
Dr. Glenn Price, 1993-1995
John Thompson, 1996 - 2002
Edmond Agopian, 2002 - present
The basic format is comprised of Saturday morning rehearsals at MRU, coaching sessions with the best available clinicians, resident and/or guest conductors, one or two weekend workshops, and three to six concerts in Calgary and surrounding communities.
CALGARY YOUTH ORCHESTRA SOCIETY
The Calgary Youth Orchestra is sponsored by the Calgary Youth Orchestra Society, an independent, non-profit society, incorporated in the Province of Alberta and has a non-profit tax number:
88737 – 7190 – RR0001
All donations (private, corporate and “in kind”) of $25 or more receive tax deductible receipts. All student members of the CYO, their parents and guardians are automatically members of the CYO Society. Citizens from the community may also become members of the CYO Society. The CYO Society is governed by a Board of Directors which consists of not less than ten (10) and not more than fifteen (15) Directors:
· Appointed Director: Edmond Agopian, Conductor and Artistic Director
· One appointed Director representing the Conservatory of Mount Royal University
· The past-president of the Society
· Twelve (12) members of the community at least six (6) of whom shall be nominees of the Parents or Guardians of the students of the CYO
· Honorary Life Member: John Thompson
Calgary Youth Orchestra Society – Board of Directors 2025-26
CYO BOARD MEMBERS
Kirk Linton, President
Maydelin Nunez, Past President
Bruce Nysetvold, Vice President
Beverley Erickson, Treasurer
Joanna Ho, Secretary
Terry Clark, Mount Royal Conservatory
John Thompson, Honorary Member
Nic Chan
Viviana D’Ambrosio
Jill Foreman
Trudy Kyba
Diep Lipkind
Renee Sward
MANAGEMENT
Edmond Agopian, Music Director
Po Yeh, Orchestra Manager
The CYO Society holds an Annual General Meeting each fall at which board members are elected for a 12-month term. The Board of Directors meets approximately every six weeks and the Executive more often as necessary. The income and revenue of the CYO Society are derived from membership fees, ticket sales, corporate and private donations, fundraising activities, and grants from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and Calgary Arts Development. The Society’s financial obligations include paying for conductors, clinicians and the Orchestra Manager, music rental, renting concert halls, paying for advertising and promotion, contributing to the cost of fall and/or winter workshops, subsidizing the cost of touring for individual members, concerto competition awards, and sponsoring scholarships and bursaries.
Parents are encouraged to contact any member of the CYO Board of Directors if they have any questions concerning the operations of the CYO. Please contact the Orchestra Manager at [email protected] for contact information.
MOUNT ROYAL UNIVERSITY CONSERVATORY
The Calgary Youth Orchestra is the most advanced instrumental ensemble associated with the Conservatory at Mount Royal University. The Conservatory is responsible for the artistic and musical direction of the CYO and provides the conductor, music library, facilities, secretarial support and administrative services.
The Conservatory is extremely proud of its association with the CYO. It recognizes the excellence of the CYO and applauds the orchestra’s accomplishments. The Conservatory salutes all the students, parents and community members of the Society who work to provide such an outstanding musical, educational, social and learning experience for the youth of Calgary and district. The Calgary Youth Orchestra Society and the Conservatory enjoy excellent working relations. Communication and consultation between the Director of the Conservatory, the Conservatory Coordinator of Orchestral Programs, the Conductor, the CYO Society President and the CYO Manager are frequent, cooperative and productive.
CYO ORCHESTRA MANAGER
Po Yeh: [email protected]
The CYO Orchestra Manager’s duties include:
• primary contact for students and parents
• coordinating with conductor
• hiring coaches and clinicians
• coordinating the production of workshops and concerts
• preparing grant applications
• coordinating the music library
• coordinating ticket sales
• supervising student and parent volunteers where appropriate
• administration of the orchestra’s business and finances.
MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR
A violin graduate of the Juilliard School, Edmond Agopian began his studies in his native Romania. In 1991, he relinquished his post at Acadia University to take up positions as Professor of Violin and Conductor at the University of Calgary, and Artist-in-Residence at Mount Royal Conservatory. He was appointed Music Director of the Calgary Youth Orchestra in 2002.
He has been awarded the Calgary Arts Award, and the Alberta Centennial Medal “in recognition of outstanding achievement and service to the people and province of Alberta”. At the University of Calgary, he was awarded the John Peter Lee Roberts Distinguished Professorship in Fine Arts.
As a violinist, he has been featured on regional and national CBC, French and English radio programs, Radio Europa, and as soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He is First Violin of the University of Calgary String Quartet in Residence, whose recording on the American label MSR Classics has received enthusiastic reviews from radio broadcasters and magazines, including Fanfare Magazine (USA). Quartet performances have included the complete Beethoven, Shostakovich and Bartok, string quartet cycles.
Edmond Agopian’s performances have received numerous accolades, including:
“His performance was a triumph both of technique and integration...” Toronto Star
“… dramatic heart-felt playing with biting rhythmic emphasis. His pitch and tone were immaculate…“ Calgary Herald
“… he not only revealed the great charm of the work (Bruch, Violin Concerto in G minor), but his own musical integrity as well” Halifax Chronicle Herald
“The Canadian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by concertmaster Edmond Agopian played with requisite grace…” Edmonton Journal
"One of the best recordings of the year…" CBC Radio – Off the Record
"From the first note to the last they captured the symphonic sound… Their dynamic range was elastic, giving the phrases sculptural depth as well as linear tension." Halifax Chronicle-Herald
Conducting work has included performances with the Canadian Chamber Orchestra (conductor and concertmaster), the Shanghai Opera Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra, and conductor and soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. His Sundogs CD recording with the University of Calgary Orchestra, of Canadian orchestral music, was described by one critic as a "hands-down winner". Under his direction, the Calgary Youth Orchestra has toured, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and New Zealand.
For thirteen seasons he was Music Director/Concertmaster of Calgary’s professional string orchestra, the Kensington Sinfonia and for twenty years he was on the faculty of the Morningside Music Bridge International Music Festival at Mount Royal University Conservatory, in Beijing, Shanghai, and Gdansk, Poland.
His violin method The No Time to Practice Technique Companion has been on the SHAR Music Company’s Bestseller List since 2002 and has been positively reviewed in the American String Teacher magazine. His students have won local, national and international awards, including the Rose Bowl – Calgary Performing Arts Festival, and are members of major orchestras, including four violinists in the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.
His newest ensemble, the Calgary Musicscapes Band, features repertoire which reflects the wide array of music of the Calgary musical community. From Klezmer to Mariachi, from Jazz to Métis fiddling, Edmond Agopian’s arrangements display the wide spectrum of Calgary’s international music scapes:
“The most common question after the concert was: When are they coming back?” -ProArts concert series director
“…dynamite Romanian fiddler Edmond Agopian.” Penguin Eggs–Canada’s Folk, Roots and World Music Magazine
CYO BOARD MEMBERS
Maydelin Nunez President
Bruce Nysetvold Vice President
Beverley Erickson Treasurer
Joanna Ho Secretary
Tammy Poon Past President
Nic Chan
Terry Clark Mount Royal Conservatory
Viviana D’Ambrosio
Kirk Linton
Diep Lipkind
Renee Sward
John Thompson Honorary Member
“Being part of the CYO has proved to be vastly more challenging and enriching than I would have possibly imagined.” B.W.
“I still remember the state of extreme panic I was during my very first CYO rehearsal in which I swear, I don’t think I used my brain that much ever before… CYO really has been an invaluable part of my musical education, and really one of the biggest influences towards my decision of continuing music and choosing music as a future career path.” A.P.
“Being able to say that I looked forward to every single orchestra rehearsal shows to me the profoundly positive effects that my time with the orchestra has had on me…Furthermore, the opportunity to travel to France and Germany with the orchestra has given me an incredible amount of life experience that is ultimately priceless.” H.W.
“I was not sure what I wanted to be in the future. However, as soon as the first two months of CYO passed, I made up my mind that I would work hard to be a member of an orchestra.” A.K.
“With such a contrast to regular school band, the orchestra has presented many challenges, and has been a wonderful incentive to practice, improve, and prepare. The CYO is easily the highest level group I’ve played with continuously, and has shown me what I want to do with my life. My education with the CYO has had an enormous impact – it is dubious if either NYO or UNT would be on my agenda without my CYO orchestral experience.” C.L.
“My first CYO rehearsal filled me up with such a peculiar combination of emotions…Once Mr. Agopian cued the first note and the orchestra came in together, it was as if a spark had rushed into me, and ignited a love of being immersed in music, passion for setting goals to improve beyond what anyone would expect, and a desire to gain the respect and confidence of my fellow students in creating something that we could not create alone. From that moment on, I knew that I not only wanted, but needed to be there.” K.M.
“The opportunities and experiences that I got in the orchestra, whether it be playing a Shostakovich symphony for the first time or playing for Maori warriors for the first time, are invaluable.” S.C.
“I was able to navigate from junior to junior orchestra with little difficulty. However, that all changed when I reached the holy grail of non-professional orchestras – the Calgary Youth Orchestra.” J.D.
The Calgary Youth Orchestra (CYO), considered to be the flagship ensemble of the Mount Royal University Conservatory, is recognized as one of the finest youth orchestras in the country. Under its music director, Edmond Agopian, the CYO has toured Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and New Zealand.
The CYO was honoured to perform for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Calgary in May 2005, and for His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, at the Saddledome in 2009.
The orchestra has commissioned works from a number of composers, most recently Canadian composers Michael van der Sloot, George Fenwick, Laurie Radford and Scott Ross-Molyneux. The CYO has also presented the world premieres of works by Claude Debussy, completed and orchestrated by the renowned English musicologist Robert Orledge.
The CYO has worked with such illustrious conductors as Roberto Minczuk, Mario Bernardi, Bramwell Tovey, Ivars Taurins, Jean Lamon, Andrés Cárdenes and Hans Graf, among others.
The orchestra has performed in collaboration with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and with Jeunesse Classique Ballet , at festivals throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, and on-stage at the 2008 Juno Awards.
CYO alumni can be found in such world-renowned ensembles as the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as all major Canadian orchestras.
CYO’s recording of music from Western movies titled The Thrill of the Western has received excellent reviews, including one from Rick Phillips, CBC Radio’s Sound Advice:
“Imaginative interpretation… nicely pulled off… played to the fullest, with enthusiasm and energy…”
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CALGARY YOUTH ORCHESTRA
The Calgary Youth Orchestra was founded in 1957 by the late Frank Simpson as the Calgary Junior Philharmonic School Orchestra. The initial funding to establish the orchestra was provided by the late John Bach, a previous Director of the Mount Royal University Conservatory. In 1965, the orchestra joined the Conservatory at Mount Royal College. When Mount Royal University moved to the present Lincoln Park Campus in 1973 the CYO moved along with the Conservatory. The CYO Society was incorporated in 1973, which served to broaden the basis for community involvement and financial support of the CYO. In 1984, artistic direction for the CYO came under the umbrella of the Conservatory. The CYO is now the flagship ensemble associated with the Orchestral Program of Mount Royal University Conservatory.
Over the years, the CYO Directors have been:
Frank Simpson (Founding Director), 1963 -1984
John Thompson, 1984-1988
Nicholas Pulos, 1988-1992
Tyrone Paterson, 1992-1993
Dr. Glenn Price, 1993-1995
John Thompson, 1996 - 2002
Edmond Agopian, 2002 - present
The basic format is comprised of Saturday morning rehearsals at MRU, coaching sessions with the best available clinicians, resident and/or guest conductors, one or two weekend workshops, and three to six concerts in Calgary and surrounding communities.
CALGARY YOUTH ORCHESTRA SOCIETY
The Calgary Youth Orchestra is sponsored by the Calgary Youth Orchestra Society, an independent, non-profit society, incorporated in the Province of Alberta and has a non-profit tax number:
88737 – 7190 – RR0001
All donations (private, corporate and “in kind”) of $25 or more receive tax deductible receipts. All student members of the CYO, their parents and guardians are automatically members of the CYO Society. Citizens from the community may also become members of the CYO Society. The CYO Society is governed by a Board of Directors which consists of not less than ten (10) and not more than fifteen (15) Directors:
· Appointed Director: Edmond Agopian, Conductor and Artistic Director
· One appointed Director representing the Conservatory of Mount Royal University
· The past-president of the Society
· Twelve (12) members of the community at least six (6) of whom shall be nominees of the Parents or Guardians of the students of the CYO
· Honorary Life Member: John Thompson
Calgary Youth Orchestra Society – Board of Directors 2025-26
CYO BOARD MEMBERS
Kirk Linton, President
Maydelin Nunez, Past President
Bruce Nysetvold, Vice President
Beverley Erickson, Treasurer
Joanna Ho, Secretary
Terry Clark, Mount Royal Conservatory
John Thompson, Honorary Member
Nic Chan
Viviana D’Ambrosio
Jill Foreman
Trudy Kyba
Diep Lipkind
Renee Sward
MANAGEMENT
Edmond Agopian, Music Director
Po Yeh, Orchestra Manager
The CYO Society holds an Annual General Meeting each fall at which board members are elected for a 12-month term. The Board of Directors meets approximately every six weeks and the Executive more often as necessary. The income and revenue of the CYO Society are derived from membership fees, ticket sales, corporate and private donations, fundraising activities, and grants from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and Calgary Arts Development. The Society’s financial obligations include paying for conductors, clinicians and the Orchestra Manager, music rental, renting concert halls, paying for advertising and promotion, contributing to the cost of fall and/or winter workshops, subsidizing the cost of touring for individual members, concerto competition awards, and sponsoring scholarships and bursaries.
Parents are encouraged to contact any member of the CYO Board of Directors if they have any questions concerning the operations of the CYO. Please contact the Orchestra Manager at [email protected] for contact information.
MOUNT ROYAL UNIVERSITY CONSERVATORY
The Calgary Youth Orchestra is the most advanced instrumental ensemble associated with the Conservatory at Mount Royal University. The Conservatory is responsible for the artistic and musical direction of the CYO and provides the conductor, music library, facilities, secretarial support and administrative services.
The Conservatory is extremely proud of its association with the CYO. It recognizes the excellence of the CYO and applauds the orchestra’s accomplishments. The Conservatory salutes all the students, parents and community members of the Society who work to provide such an outstanding musical, educational, social and learning experience for the youth of Calgary and district. The Calgary Youth Orchestra Society and the Conservatory enjoy excellent working relations. Communication and consultation between the Director of the Conservatory, the Conservatory Coordinator of Orchestral Programs, the Conductor, the CYO Society President and the CYO Manager are frequent, cooperative and productive.
CYO ORCHESTRA MANAGER
Po Yeh: [email protected]
The CYO Orchestra Manager’s duties include:
• primary contact for students and parents
• coordinating with conductor
• hiring coaches and clinicians
• coordinating the production of workshops and concerts
• preparing grant applications
• coordinating the music library
• coordinating ticket sales
• supervising student and parent volunteers where appropriate
• administration of the orchestra’s business and finances.
MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR
A violin graduate of the Juilliard School, Edmond Agopian began his studies in his native Romania. In 1991, he relinquished his post at Acadia University to take up positions as Professor of Violin and Conductor at the University of Calgary, and Artist-in-Residence at Mount Royal Conservatory. He was appointed Music Director of the Calgary Youth Orchestra in 2002.
He has been awarded the Calgary Arts Award, and the Alberta Centennial Medal “in recognition of outstanding achievement and service to the people and province of Alberta”. At the University of Calgary, he was awarded the John Peter Lee Roberts Distinguished Professorship in Fine Arts.
As a violinist, he has been featured on regional and national CBC, French and English radio programs, Radio Europa, and as soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He is First Violin of the University of Calgary String Quartet in Residence, whose recording on the American label MSR Classics has received enthusiastic reviews from radio broadcasters and magazines, including Fanfare Magazine (USA). Quartet performances have included the complete Beethoven, Shostakovich and Bartok, string quartet cycles.
Edmond Agopian’s performances have received numerous accolades, including:
“His performance was a triumph both of technique and integration...” Toronto Star
“… dramatic heart-felt playing with biting rhythmic emphasis. His pitch and tone were immaculate…“ Calgary Herald
“… he not only revealed the great charm of the work (Bruch, Violin Concerto in G minor), but his own musical integrity as well” Halifax Chronicle Herald
“The Canadian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by concertmaster Edmond Agopian played with requisite grace…” Edmonton Journal
"One of the best recordings of the year…" CBC Radio – Off the Record
"From the first note to the last they captured the symphonic sound… Their dynamic range was elastic, giving the phrases sculptural depth as well as linear tension." Halifax Chronicle-Herald
Conducting work has included performances with the Canadian Chamber Orchestra (conductor and concertmaster), the Shanghai Opera Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra, and conductor and soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. His Sundogs CD recording with the University of Calgary Orchestra, of Canadian orchestral music, was described by one critic as a "hands-down winner". Under his direction, the Calgary Youth Orchestra has toured, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and New Zealand.
For thirteen seasons he was Music Director/Concertmaster of Calgary’s professional string orchestra, the Kensington Sinfonia and for twenty years he was on the faculty of the Morningside Music Bridge International Music Festival at Mount Royal University Conservatory, in Beijing, Shanghai, and Gdansk, Poland.
His violin method The No Time to Practice Technique Companion has been on the SHAR Music Company’s Bestseller List since 2002 and has been positively reviewed in the American String Teacher magazine. His students have won local, national and international awards, including the Rose Bowl – Calgary Performing Arts Festival, and are members of major orchestras, including four violinists in the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.
His newest ensemble, the Calgary Musicscapes Band, features repertoire which reflects the wide array of music of the Calgary musical community. From Klezmer to Mariachi, from Jazz to Métis fiddling, Edmond Agopian’s arrangements display the wide spectrum of Calgary’s international music scapes:
“The most common question after the concert was: When are they coming back?” -ProArts concert series director
“…dynamite Romanian fiddler Edmond Agopian.” Penguin Eggs–Canada’s Folk, Roots and World Music Magazine
CYO BOARD MEMBERS
Maydelin Nunez President
Bruce Nysetvold Vice President
Beverley Erickson Treasurer
Joanna Ho Secretary
Tammy Poon Past President
Nic Chan
Terry Clark Mount Royal Conservatory
Viviana D’Ambrosio
Kirk Linton
Diep Lipkind
Renee Sward
John Thompson Honorary Member
|
|
|
|
|
Telephone403-440-5978
|
|