YPO concert is May 6

The Soloists Ensemble of the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Alyze Dreiling, YPO artistic director, will perform works by several 19th century composers at 7 p.m. Friday, May 6 at the Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church, 17010 Pomerado Road. This concert is open to the public.

The Soloists Ensemble will be joined by guest soloist John Wilds, a trumpeter with the San Diego Symphony and the San Diego Orchestra. Wilds will be performing Vincenzo Bellini’s “Trumpet Concerto.”

“We’re very excited about our guest soloist,” said Dreiling. “He’s truly an exciting, wonderful player.”

Wilds and Dreiling are long-time friends who attended music school together and have previously performed together, but this is the first time Wilds or any brass player has guest soloed with the ensemble.

Two soloists will perform from the ensemble, with violinist Anh Do performing Jules Massenet’s “Thais Meditation” and cellist Derek Orlowski performing “Pezzo Capriccioso” by Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

The ensemble will also perform Carl Reinecke’s “Suite for Strings in G minor” and Hubert Parry’s “English Suite,” which will feature YPO Soloists Ensemble alumus Adam Davis guest conducting for two movements.

This is the first concert of the semester for the ensemble, pushed back by Dreiling taking a small sabbatical earlier in the year. A second concert will be held on June 17, where the ensemble will join with the YPO Percussion Ensemble to perform Béla Bartok’s “Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta.”

“It’s a huge piece, it’s going to be fantastic,” said Dreiling.

Outside its normal concert schedule, the ensemble is also performing a free concert at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 21 at the Rancho Bernardo Library as part of the library’s Discovery Concert Series.

Dreiling said that despite the slightly delayed concert schedule, the ensemble has been kept busy practicing and several members traveled to Italy last summer to perform in the Italian Opera Festival outside Rome. Members of the ensemble will be returning to perform in the festival again this summer, Dreiling said.

The non-profit Youth Philharmonic Orchestra is dedicated to enhancing the musical, social and intellectual growth of young musicians of all ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds, through inspired instruction, dynamic ensemble rehearsals and exceptional performances, according to the organization’s website.

In addition to the Soloists Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble, YPO also includes beginner and intermediate violin classes, as well as City Heights Music School.

For more information about the ensemble, upcoming concerts and how you can join, visit yposd.org.