{"id":177139,"date":"2026-02-13T23:10:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T23:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/177139\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T23:10:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T23:10:08","slug":"young-peoples-symphony-orchestra-presents-winter-concert-on-feb-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/177139\/","title":{"rendered":"Young People\u2019s Symphony Orchestra presents Winter Concert on Feb. 21"},"content":{"rendered":"

Echoes of the Northern Lights\u00a0| February 21, 2026 | 7:30 PM | First Church Berkeley | Berkeley, CA\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Young People\u2019s Symphony Orchestra (YPSO), California\u2019s oldest independent youth orchestra, presents its Winter Concert, Echoes of the Northern Lights, on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 7:30 PM at First Church Berkeley. The concert marks the second performance of YPSO\u2019s 2025\u20132026 subscription series and features music inspired by Nordic landscapes, Romantic lyricism, and virtuosic brilliance.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the center of the program is Jean Sibelius\u2019s Symphony No. 1, a powerful early work that reflects the composer\u2019s distinctive voice and serves as a musical prelude to YPSO\u2019s upcoming Summer 2026 tour to Finland and Sweden. The concert opens with William Grant Still\u2019s Threnody: In Memory of Jan Sibelius, a rare and poignant tribute connecting American and Nordic musical traditions.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The evening also features two winners of YPSO\u2019s annual Concerto Competition:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Emma You, violin, performing the first movement of Max Bruch\u2019s Violin Concerto No. 1 Catherine Shin, violin, performing Zigeunerweisen by Pablo de Sarasate\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI was drawn to the Bruch concerto for its rich colors and expressive depth,\u201d said Emma You. \u201cIt taught me how much musical variety and phrasing can be explored within a single work.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Catherine Shin shared her excitement about Sarasate\u2019s showpiece: \u201cZigeunerweisen weaves sorrowful moments with fiery passages. I\u2019m excited to share its intensity and color with the audience\u2014and to experience the thrill of performing it with the orchestra.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Program\u00a0<\/p>\n

William Grant Still: Threnody: In Memory of Jan Sibelius\u00a0Max Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1, Movement I (Emma You, violin)\u00a0Pablo de Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen (Catherine Shin, violin)\u00a0Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 1<\/p>\n

Tickets & Information:\u00a0<\/p>\n

$20 General | Students Free (must register online)\u00a0
Box Office & Concert Info\u00a0HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>https:\/\/www.ypsomusic.org\/events<\/a><\/p>\n

About YPSO and Maestro David Ramadanoff\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now in its 89th season, YPSO brings together 86 young musicians, ages 11\u201318, from across the Bay Area. Music Director David Ramadanoff has led YPSO for over three decades, inspiring generations of musicians. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, he studied at the Cleveland Institute of Music and The Juilliard School before serving as Assistant Conductor of the San Francisco Symphony under Seiji Ozawa. Maestro Ramadanoff selects programs that highlight diverse eras and composers while fostering each student\u2019s musical growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Founded in 1936 in Berkeley, YPSO is California\u2019s oldest youth orchestra and the first independent youth orchestra in the nation. Its mission is to \u201cencourage young people to become exemplary musicians and young musicians to become exemplary people.\u201d YPSO presents four regular concerts per season and engages with the community through programs such as Bread & Roses and the Bay Area Music Project, bringing music to new audiences and fostering civic responsibility. The orchestra is supported by community organizations, foundations, donors, and the dedication of students, families, and volunteers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Open Rehearsal & Accessibility\u00a0<\/p>\n

YPSO invites the public to attend an Open Rehearsal during the final dress rehearsal the day before each concert. Drop in to see the orchestra in action and experience young musicians preparing for performance. Open to prospective families, relatives unable to attend the concert, and teachers with students interested in joining YPSO.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Register here: tinyurl.com\/ypso-open-reh<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

YPSO is committed to accessibility for all. Concert venues, lobbies, and reception areas are fully accessible. Free student tickets are available with valid ID; reserve online at www.ypsomusic.org\/events<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Echoes of the Northern Lights\u00a0| February 21, 2026 | 7:30 PM | First Church Berkeley | Berkeley, CA\u00a0…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":177140,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[143,145,144],"class_list":{"0":"post-177139","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-oakland","8":"tag-oakland","9":"tag-oakland-headlines","10":"tag-oakland-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=177139"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/177139\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/177140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=177139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=177139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=177139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}