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FWYO announces its 60th Season!

10/3/2024 - For Immediate Release



The Fort Worth Youth Orchestra is thrilled to announce its 60th season, marking six decades of excellence in music education and performance! We invite you to join us in celebrating the achievements of our talented young musicians. Our 60th anniversary season promises a series of spectacular concerts you will not want to miss.


Dr. Germán Gutiérrez, in his 25th year as Music Director, will lead the flagship Youth Orchestra (YO), inspiring the next generation of musicians. Our dedicated team of conductors also includes Brian Coatney with the Philharmonic (PHIL), Brian Youngblood with the Wind Ensemble (WE), Sammy Branch with the String Orchestra (SO), and Amanda Musser with the Junior String Orchestra (JSO).


New for the 2024 is a full season of FWYO Jazz led by inspiring bandstand and former Marine All-Stars Jazz Band leader Ken Ebo! We are also proud to continue our Suzuki and Chamber Ensembles, led by many talented instructors, offering students opportunities to explore a wide range of musical styles and collaborations.


Ensemble Season Overview


October 6, 2024: Opening Fall Concert 

TCU Van Cliburn Concert Hall


Featuring the Junior String Orchestra, String Orchestra, Philharmonic, and our flagship Youth Orchestra, the Fall Opening Concert will close with Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade under the direction of Dr. Germán Gutiérrez.


(Ticketed - Reduced price for students. Tickets go on sale several weeks before performance. Check FWYO.org for details)




December 15, 2024: FWYO Holiday Spectacular!

Sponsored by Central Market

Multiple Start Times - I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM & VPA


Sponsored by Central Market, the annual holiday concert will feature all ensembles and a special performance of Colombian dancers!


(Ticketed - Reduced price for students. Tickets go on sale several weeks before performance. Check FWYO.org for details)




February 22, 2025: 60th Anniversary Concert!

Time TBD - TCU Van Cliburn Concert Hall


Join us for our 60th Anniversary celebration concert! This evening will feature our flagship Youth Orchestra featuring 21-year-old winner of the International Yampolsky Violin Competition Pui-ying Wong, a special performance of FWYO

Alumni, and a celebratory reception. You won’t want to miss this milestone event!


(Ticketed - Reduced price for students. Post-concert reception cost extra with limited availability. Check FWYO.org for details)



February 23, 2025: Winter Concert

Multiple Start Times - I.M. Terrell Academy for STEM and VPA


Featuring our Junior String Orchestra, String Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Philharmonic Orchestra.


(Ticketed - Reduced price for students. Tickets go on sale several weeks before performance. Check FWYO.org for details)




May 4, 2025: FWYO Finale

Multiple Start Times - TCU Van Cliburn Concert Hall


Featuring the FWYO Jr. String Orchestra, String Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Philharmonic Orchestra, and flagship Youth Orchestra in three different performances, our finale concert ends our 60th Anniversary Season with a blast! See our ensembles at their best as we close the season, award scholarships, and recognize our graduating seniors.


(Ticketed - Reduced price for students. Tickets go on sale several weeks before

performance. Check FWYO.org for details)



FWYO Jazz, Suzuki, & Chamber Ensembles

Our Jazz and Chamber Ensembles continue to flourish, offering students the opportunity to explore diverse musical styles and perform in intimate settings. Visit FWYO.org for up to date ticket information.


December 10, 2024: Jazz for Toys for Tots

Time TBD - Kimbell Art Museum


Bring a toy instead of a ticket and join the Ken Ebo Jazz Band and FWYO Jazz at the Kimbell Art Museum for some holiday Jazz!

(Ticketed - Free - Bring a toy)



December 13, 2024: Fall Chamber Recital

Time TBD - Kimbell Art Museum


An intimate evening showcasing our talented Chamber Ensembles.

(Free)


December 18, 2024: Suzuki Winter Concert

6:30 PM - Orchestra Hall


Join us at Orchestra Hall for this holiday-themed group concert featuring all of our Suzuki students.

(Free)



April 5, 2025: Spring Chamber Recital

Time TBD - Kimbell Art Museum


Enjoy a captivating night at the Kimbell Art Museum as our Chamber ensembles perform an exquisite selection of music.

(Free)


April 26, 2025: Jazz Finale

Time TBD - Kimbell Art Museum


Join us at the Kimbell Art Museum to swing into the summer with FWYO Jazz performing their favorites from the season.

(Ticketed)


May 7, 2025: Suzuki Finale

6:30PM - Orchestra Hall


FWYO Suzuki will close out the season with some of their favorite group songs and celebrate our seniors.

(Free)


About The Fort Worth Youth Orchestra


Celebrating 60 years of extraordinary music education during the 2024-2025 season, the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra has won local, national, and international recognition as one of the finest youth orchestra programs in the United States. Through eight programs - including four major orchestras, a Wind Ensemble, FWYO Suzuki School, Chamber Programs, and Jazz - the FWYO delivers high quality musical instruction to more than 430 students ranging in age from six months to eighteen years, and represent communities throughout North Texas.


Founded by a community group headed by Betty Utter and under the direction of conductors Ezra Rachlin and John Giordano, the FWYO was founded to promote and inspire the continuing development of musical talent in qualified area youth through intensive education in classical orchestral rooted music and performance. The programs offers students the opportunity to further develop their talent as well as their leadership skills, self-discipline, confidence, and pride in personal achievement. Many of the nearly 20,000 alumni of the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra program have gone on to become members of major symphony orchestras, music educators, or leaders in their fields.


The Orchestra's accomplishments include international concert tours in Europe, Mexico, Canada, and the Far East; music festivals in Switzerland and Washington, D.C.; and numerous other concert appearances across Texas and the Southwest. It's most recent tour in 2024 was to Spain with performances in Barcelona, Valencia, and Cullera. The Youth Orchestra has also been honored to perform with artists such as Van Cliburn, Jose Feghali, Yakov Kasman, Tamàs Ungàr, and John Owings, and composers Morton Gould and Samuel Adler. In 2021, the FWYO also received 2nd in the Youth Orchestra Division of the prestigious American Prize and are again finalists for the 2024 American Prize with both the Youth Orchestra and Wind Ensemble.


Under the leadership of Music Director Dr. Germán Gutiérrez since 2000 and Executive Director Andrew Reynolds since 2021, the FWYO has become one of North Texas’ most prestigious performing arts organizations. In addition to it's educational programs, the FWYO owns and operates historic Orchestra Hall in Westcliff that has been home to numerous performing arts organizations since 1975.


About Dr. Germán Gutiérrez, Music Director & Youth Orchestra Conductor


Professor Germán Augusto Gutiérrez has been the Director of Orchestras and Professor of Orchestral Studies at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth since 1996, also directing the Latin American Music Center and its biennial festival. Since 2000, he has served as Music Director of the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra (FWYO).


A frequent guest conductor across the Americas, Europe, and beyond, Dr. Gutiérrez has conducted the Dallas Symphony’s Hispanic Festival for twelve consecutive years. He recently recorded a CD with the Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra, featuring soloists Daniel Binelli and Polly Ferman. Notable engagements include the Azerbaijan National Symphony, the Qingdao Cosmopolitan Music Festival in China, and the Czech National Symphony in Smetana Hall, where he conducted Carmina Burana. He has also collaborated with various national symphonies across Latin America.


Under his leadership, the TCU Symphony and FWYO have received significant recognition, including the Carlos Gardel Musical Prize in 2011. Both orchestras have toured internationally, garnering enthusiastic reviews and repeat invitations to prestigious events like the Ibero-American Music Festival and the Texas Music Educators Association Convention. He has conducted over fifty world premieres with the TCU Symphony and led the FWYO on a celebrated performance tour to Spain in 2024.


Dr. Gutiérrez holds degrees from the Tolima Conservatory, Illinois State University, and the University of Northern Colorado. He was honored in the Hall of Fame at Illinois State University and invited to give the Commencement speech in 2018. His contributions to TCU have earned him multiple awards, including the Dean’s Teaching Award, Dean’s Award for Research and Creative Activity, and the Chancellor’s Award for Distinguished Research and Creative Activity.


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Press Inquiries: Lauren Arie - larie@fwyo.org / 817-923-3121 x18

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