LA PLATA, Md. – The Charles County Youth Orchestra (CCYO), directed by Dr. Osman Kivrak, will perform two holiday concerts this December. The first concert will be on Saturday, December 7 at noon at the Port Tobacco Courthouse as part of the Charles County Holiday Tour. And the second concert will be on Saturday, December 14 at 5:00 p.m. at the Kris Kringle Market at the Charles County Fairgrounds in La Plata. The program will include holiday favorites and music by popular classical composers Handel and Pachelbel. Fireworks will follow CCYO’s performance at the Kris Kringle Market at 6:00 p.m. Both concerts are free but there is a $5 charge (free for 10 and under) to enter Kris Kringle at the Fairgrounds.
Mid-year auditions for all CCYO ensembles will be held February 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Christ Church, La Plata. Information about auditions can be found at: https://www.charlescountyyouthorchestra.org/auditions
CCYO presents two large concerts and numerous smaller concerts each year, a two-week Chamber Music Festival, a Concerto Competition Concert, masterclasses, and sectionals for students in all four of CCYO’s ensembles. This past season CCYO ensembles have performed at the Port Tobacco Courthouse, Alice Ferguson Foundation, Nanjemoy Community Center, Kris Kringle at the Fairgrounds, Indian Head Village Green, and Christ Church, La Plata.
Recently, CCYO has been spotlighted in an online film by the Charles County Arts Alliance and has been featured on WTOP radio. Also, two CCYO String Quartets were finalists in the prestigious Washington Performing Arts Society Misbin Chamber Music Competition in Washington, D.C.
CCYO is one of the largest youth organizations in Southern Maryland, providing music education and performance opportunities for talented young musicians ages 7 to 18 in Charles, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, and Calvert counties.
The Charles County Youth Orchestra is sponsored in part by grants from the Charles County Arts Alliance, the Charles County Charitable Trust, the Maryland State Arts Council, and generous individual donations.
