LA PLATA, Maryland – The Charles County Youth Orchestra (CCYO), led by Dr. Osman Kivrak, will perform a holiday concert on December 11 at 5 p.m. at the Kris Kringle Market at the Charles County Fairgrounds in La Plata. The program will include holiday favorites as well as popular classical composers such as Vivaldi, Handel and Mozart. Two CCYO seniors, Eileen Browning and Candace Jackson, will be featured in a performance of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Cellos. The CCYO show will be followed by fireworks at 6 p.m.

You can find more information about the Kris Kringle Christmas Market at this link:
https://www.charlescountyfair.com/kriskringlechristmasmarket/

CCYO is one of Southern Maryland’s largest youth organizations, providing musical education and performance opportunities to talented young musicians ages 8-18 in Charles, Prince George, St. Mary’s and Calvert counties. .

The mid-year auditions will take place on January 22 from 10 to 2 at the Neighborhood Creative Arts Center in La Plata. You can find information about the auditions here: https://www.charlescountyyouthorchestra.org/auditions

CCYO’s live performances in 2021 included an orchestral concert, a Concerto Competition concert and six chamber music concerts at the Alice Ferguson Foundation in Accokeek, MD and Christ Church, La Plata.

In 2020, during the pandemic, CCYO and its ensembles were very busy: they held eight online orchestral concerts, monthly performance labs, and five master classes with world-class artists from the Pittsburgh Symphony, Colorado. Symphony and the National Symphony.

The Charles County Youth Orchestra is sponsored in part by grants from the Charles County Arts Alliance, Maryland State Arts Council, Rotary Club of Charles County, MD, Charles County Charitable Trust, and the Knights of Columbus of Acokeek, MD. Other major contributors include Potters Violins, Gailes Violin Shop, and the Neighborhood Creative Arts Center in La Plata, as well as generous donations from individuals.

Photo: CCYO members and solo cellists Eileen Browning and Candace Jackson