120 young musicians who participate in Tune Up Philly (TUP), PYO Music Institute’s highly successful engagement program, will perform on Saturday, May 21 at 3 P.M. at the Temple Performing Arts Center, located at 1837 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pa. An ideal concert for families, it is a “Meet the Orchestra” event with an introduction of the instruments. The concert is free; a good will offering will be collected at the door. For more information, call 215-545-0502.

The Festival Concert, specially arranged by Paul Smith to accommodate this multi-faceted group of children in grades 1-8, is designed to highlight TUP’s many components, allowing every student to shine. Conducted by PYO’s Associate Conductor Kenneth Bean, this is an especially significant musical experience. As TUP culminates its 6th year, the program ensures that the rich orchestral history of Philadelphia remains accessible to all neighborhoods, portraying positive imagery of students of all backgrounds achieving success through performing arts.

Paul Smith talked about the growth of TUP with the additional guidance of Kenny Bean as conductor. He said, “As Associate Conductor of PYO, Kenny has raised the bar on the musical experiences of the students in TUP. He is an excellent role model as he inspires our TUP students to accomplish more than even they expected of themselves. They are successfully matriculating into competitive magnate schools, summer programs and higher levels of performance opportunities within the PYO Music Institute.”

In addition, part of the TUP experience is building college awareness in the students. With Temple Performing Arts Center (TPAC) as a community partner, TUP is expanding the vision of the students as they see their potential in this college setting. Bean explained, “We are bringing the students to perform at TPAC because it is an excellent facility and, also, to help the students envision college as part of their destiny.”

Smith added, “It is personally rewarding for Kenny and me to observe the growth in the students throughout the year. For many, it is their first experience of playing with a group of musicians and in front of such large and appreciative audiences.”

Influenced and inspired by the international El Sistema Movement, TUP provides free music instruction by some of the area’s top musicians and includes access to instruments.  TUP operates in a wide variety of schools and community centers, making it the most expansive after-school musical outreach initiative in the city.  Its unique approach tailors the music education experience to the needs and interests of the students at each facility, with programming that ranges from specialized orchestral training to fun and inclusive bucket bands.

About Tune Up Philly:
Launched in 2010 by the acclaimed PYO Music Institute, TUP grew from two locations to seven this year, and the momentum keeps building.  Plans are underway to expand existing programming and add more sites. Currently, there are seven sites — Belmont Academy Charter School, Independence Charter School, Inquiry Charter School, Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School, People for People Charter School, The Saint James School and Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Center. TUP was developed to help under represented children master musical skills while acquiring valuable tools for cooperative learning, teamwork, and academic success. This outreach program is a shining light in the PYO Music Institute organization, the area’s oldest and most respected music education and performance program, as it illustrates the PYO’s commitment to empowering children through music.

About The PYO Music Institute Organization
Now in its 76th year, the renowned PYO Music Institute organization, led by President and Music Director, Maestro Louis Scaglione, is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected community music education and youth orchestra performance programs, providing talented young musicians from across the tri-state area with exceptional musical training. Students go on to excel in many diverse fields, and it is with pride that PYO Music Institute notes that many members of the prestigious Philadelphia Orchestra are alumni.  The organization is comprised of five independent program ensembles designed to meet specific needs and experience levels of students selected through a competitive audition process. The anchor group is the PYO Music Institute (PYO), conducted by President and Music Director Louis Scaglione, featuring 125 gifted instrumentalists who range in age from 14-21. Young musicians 12-18 years old are featured in PYO’s companion ensemble, the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra, which is led by Director and Conductor Maestra Rosalind Erwin, who is Music Director and Conductor of Drexel University Orchestra. Bravo Brass, directed by Curtis Institute Dean of Faculty and Students, Paul Bryan, is an all brass ensemble for promising middle and high-school instrumentalists. PRYSM (Philadelphia Region Youth String Music) and PRYSM Young Artists ensembles provide string large ensemble and sectional master class instruction for beginning and intermediate musicians ages 6-14. The director and conductor of PRYSM is Gloria DePasquale, cellist with The Philadelphia Orchestra, and conductor of PRSYM Young Artists is Jessica Villante. Tune Up Philly (TUP) is PYO’s engagement program, directed by Paul Smith, that focuses on the creating and inspiring true community by providing children in underserved communities with invaluable opportunities to learn and perform a differentiated orchestral music curriculum.  www.pyos.org.