CSYO and CSYS Members
2023-2024 Season Information
CSYO/S Member Benefits:
Sectionals with CSO Core Musicians throughout the season
Free tickets to CSO Masterworks performances (based on availability)
Side by Side concert with the Charleston Symphony
Performance feature at CSO Masterworks Concert with maestro Gerard Schwarz
Three performances at the world-class Gaillard Center
Community Engagement performances opportunities throughout the year
Sinfonietta Music & Roster
Winter 2023-24 Concert
STRINGS ONLY
Symphony No. 25, Mvt. 1 - W.A. Mozart arr. Don Brubaker
Red Sailor's Dance - Reinhold Glière arr. John Caponegro
Farandole from L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2 -Gorges Bizet
Youth Orchestra Music & Roster
Winter 2023-24 Concert
Brahms, Academic Festival Overture
Symphony No. 8- Dvorak
Absence Form
Be sure to submit an absence form if you are not attending rehearsal!
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2023- 2024 Participation Policies
Welcome to an exciting year for the Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra program. You were selected through a competitive audition process, where over 100 young musicians auditioned for this program. You play a critical role in the overall success of this ensemble! As you strive for individual excellence this season, please follow these guidelines to further enhance your experience and the experience of your colleagues.
Rehearsal and Concert Attendance Policies
Each of the concerts performed by the CSYO is prepared in a cycle with a minimum of seven rehearsals and each rehearsal is critical in preparing musicians for their upcoming concert. Absence, lateness, or early departure detracts from the learning environment, disrupts the students’ learning process, and impacts the performance level of the entire ensemble. Each musician is expected to attend all rehearsals, arrive promptly, and remain throughout the rehearsals, unless otherwise notified. Perfect attendance is the recommended goal for each CSYO student!
· To maintain your position in CSYO/CSYS, you may only miss up to five (5) rehearsals per season, and a maximum of two (2) rehearsals per concert cycle.
· Acceptable reasons for absence:
o Conflict with a mandatory school event
o College audition/visit
o Illness
o Family emergency
· Please complete an Absence Request online at least two weeks before your absence. The link to the absence form can be found on the CSYO website under the Current Members section. Students that are not at rehearsal and have not submitted an absence request will receive a phone call or email to their parents.
· Dress rehearsals are extremely important. We expect all students to be in attendance of the dress rehearsal. If you have a conflict on the date of the dress rehearsal, please complete an Absence Request form at least 4 weeks in advance or contact Mitsuko Flynn.
· In the event rehearsal is canceled, CSYO will make an announcement no later than 10:00 am the day of the scheduled rehearsal via email.
· Musicians are suggested to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of rehearsal to unpack and tune. Upon arrival, musicians must check-in. Failure to check-in may be recorded as an absence. Musicians must be in their seats ready to play their instruments five minutes before the rehearsal begins.
Practice Policy
The CSYO is a team and every member of the team is crucial to the success of the whole. Each member is expected to practice his/her individual part(s) at home.
· Rehearsal will focus on intonation, ensemble, style, expression, and other orchestra performance techniques.
· Musicians are encouraged to listen to recordings of the works being rehearsed to become familiar with his/her/their part in context of the work.
· Musicians are encouraged to practice with a metronome regularly and incorporate what was discussed at rehearsal.
· Be prepared to learn, practice, and refine your part over the course of the concert cycle.
· Students that regularly attend rehearsal unprepared may be reseated or in extreme circumstances, dismissed from the program.
Concert Attire
Students have two different formal uniform options:
· Long black skirt/dress or pants (to ankle when seated), modest black top (no sleeveless dresses or tops), black close-toed shoes, black stockings.
· Black dress pants, long-sleeve white tuxedo shirt, black jacket, black bow tie, black dress shoes, black socks.
*Note: If you are uncomfortable with these options, please contact your director to discuss a third option
Rehearsal Etiquette and Code of Conduct
Every student is asked to contribute to a collaborative environment. Students are expected to adhere to the following. Students that violate these expectations are subject to expulsion:
· Demonstrate cooperation and respect to CSYO conductors, staff, volunteers, and parents.
· Stay engaged between playing to allow instructions to be heard.
· Be respectful towards fellow musicians and show respect for the rights, privacy, and property of others. Harassment, bullying, or hazing of any nature will not be tolerated.
· Students are responsible for their own property, instruments, music, etc. We strongly suggest that students should not use other students’ instruments nor lend their own to others.
· Vandalism or theft of school, venue, or personal property will result in expulsion
· Alcohol, drugs, and weapons are strictly prohibited and will result in expulsion
· Be respectful of the rehearsal space and concert venue. No food or beverage (except water) is permitted in the rehearsal room or concert venues.
During all rehearsals and performances, students must refrain from:
· Eating (chewing gum) and drinking (other than water)
· Unnecessary talking during rehearsal
· Running and horse-play
· Wearing hats, headphones, or sunglasses
· Recording rehearsals or performances without prior permission
· Disruptive playing of instruments
· Rudeness to fellow students, staff, volunteers, or parents
· Cell phone use of any kind. Cell phones must be turned off and stored away during all rehearsals and performances.
The CSYO Team!
Ryo Hasegawa
Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra
Conductor
An up-and-coming young conductor and versatile arts advocate, Ryo Hasegawa currently serves as Assistant Conductor of the Peabody Symphony/Concert Orchestra and Chair/Founder of Mudita Corporation. Under the mentorship of the world-renowned conductor, Marin Alsop, Hasegawa has performed at numerous concerts in the U.S., Europe, and Asia and launched several projects to promote interdisciplinary collaborations and advocate diversity in music and art education.
In recent years, Hasegawa has been serving as an assistant/cover conductor for his mentor Marin Alsop with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra, and São Paulo Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, Hasegawa served as the David Efron Conducting Fellow at Chautauqua Institution and performed with the Music School Festival Orchestra for multiple concert series. Hasegawa made his American debut with the Charleston Symphony in 2019, served as the conducting intern, and made several appearances as the cover conductor of the symphony since then.
Recent highlights include his debuts with the Hamburg Symphony (Germany), the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestra, Molodechno Symphony (Belarus) and the Orquestra Nova de Guitarras (Portugal), PHASE ensemble (Austria), Tacet(i) Ensemble (Thailand), and several music festival orchestras.
Hasegawa holds his Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University where he received the Peabody Georgie Awards: Champion of Multiculturism in 2021. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Rollins College, which recently granted him the 2022 Alumni Achievement Award.
Christine Arroyo
Charleston Symphony Youth Sinfonietta
Conductor
Christine Arroyo began playing violin in 6th grade in middle school. A native of Columbia, South Carolina she continued enthusiastically to be a part of the public school orchestra program from middle to high school in Richland 2 (Columbia, SC). Inspired by her strings teachers (Mrs. Becky Leonard and Mr. Phillip Pagal), Ms. Arroyo remained very resolute in her quest as an Orchestra Director.
Ms. Arroyo earned a Masters of Music in Music Education with a Conducting Specialization from Colorado State University (Ft. Collins, CO) under conducting teachers Professor Wes Kenney (master teacher), Dr. Rebecca Phillips, and Dr. James Kim. For her undergraduate study, Ms. Arroyo attended the University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC) where she earned a Bachelor of Music Emphasis in Education, Summa Cum Laude. During this time, she participated actively as a member of the University of South Carolina String Project under the direction of Dr. Gail Barnes.
Ms. Arroyo is currently the orchestra director at Moultrie Middle School. Ms. Arroyo has taught in Charleston County School District (Haut Gap Middle School, Johns Island, SC) and Greenville County School District (Ralph Chandler Middle School). Under the direction of Ms. Arroyo, her orchestras have received Superior Ratings at SCMEA Concert Performance Assessment.
Ms. Arroyo has served as a conductor for the Greenville County Youth Orchestras (GCYO) and has served as the conductor of the Honors Orchestra and Lead Teacher for the Charleston County District Orchestra. In addition to teaching, Ms. Arroyo has served as a clinician for Region Orchestra and All-County Orchestras. She has also shared presentations at the South Carolina American Teachers Association (ASTA) and has had the opportunity to co-present at the National ASTA Conference.
Outside of music, Ms. Arroyo has a variety of hobbies including hiking, improv acting, and enjoying the outdoors.
Thomas Bandiera
Allegro Charter School of Music
Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra Coordinator
Thomas Bandiera was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Mr. Bandiera spent his primary and secondary years in school focused on music, especially concert band and his trombone studies. This love of music is what drove him to pursue a career in music education.
Mr. Bandiera earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Education from Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania. Post-graduation (2016), Bandiera went on to work on and earn his Masters of Music Degree in Education at Cleveland State University, where he studied trombone under Cleveland Orchestra Assistant Principal Trombonist, Shachar Israel.
After completing his education, Mr. Bandiera moved to Charleston, SC in 2020, where he is the Director of Bands and Music Theory teacher at Allegro Charter School of Music in North Charleston, SC. He has taught at Allegro Charter School for 3 years and previously taught PK-8 General Music in Ohio. Further, Bandiera is the co-sponsor of the Allegro Chapter of Tri-M Music Honor Society, which has won South Carolina Chapter of the year during both the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years.
When he is not working, Mr. Bandiera loves being at the pool, beach, and trying new restaurants around Charleston. He is extremely honored and excited to take on his role of Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra Coordinator and is looking forward to a great year!
Hailey Yasinski
Charleston Symphony Inclusion Fellowship
Executive Fellow
Hailey Yasinski
Mitsuko Flynn
Charleston Symphony
Director of Education and Business Operations
Mitsuko Flynn is the Director of Education and Business Operations for the Charleston Symphony Orchestra (CSO) in Charleston, South Carolina. Prior to her position with the CSO, Ms. Flynn worked for the Paterson Music Project, an El Sistema-inspired music program in Paterson, NJ with a mission to provide music education for children from underserved communities. She was also a faculty member at the John J. Cali School of Music Preparatory Division at Montclair State University, where she taught cello and served as the head of the
chamber music program.
Ms. Flynn is passionate about local community engagement and social change through music. She is driven to help the CSO serve our community by eliminating barriers and creating opportunities for people throughout the Lowcountry to have meaningful musical experiences.
Mitsuko holds an MBA in Arts Innovation through the Global Leaders Institute. She also holds a BM and an Artist Diploma degree in Cello Performance from the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University, where she studied with cellist Nicholas Tzavaras and the Shanghai Quartet.
In 2016, Ms. Flynn participated in the League of American Orchestra’s Essentials of Orchestra Management Seminar, an immersive ten-day program in Los Angeles.
Outside of CSYO, Ms. Flynn enjoys spending time with her cellist husband, two young children, and her silly dachshund!