Honoring a May tradition in 2009

Photos of the side by side concert at Byrd High School - professionals and students making music together




ALTYSO in rehearsal

The end of the season side by side picnic pops concert with the ALTYSO (Ark-La-Tex Youth Symphony Orchestra) and our own professional musicians has been a May tradition in the local symphony concert schedule for many years, but the riverfront was silent on that Saturday evening this year for the first time since the inception of the concerts many years ago, first held at the old EXPO Hall and in recent years at the outdoor amphi-theatre on the riverfront parkway. Many thousands have enjoyed these FREE concerts over the years.

We, the professional musicians and the ALTYSO wanted to share once more this yearly tradition with the area's hard working students who had been anticipating this side by side orchestra performance all school year. Many, many volunteer hours by Dorothy Rivette and other dedicated members made this concert possible.

Above are photos from the concert evening and below are photos of students and pros. rehearsing together side by side for the concert which was held this year at C.E. Byrd High School auditorium. This year's concert included not only professional musicians and students from the ALTYSO, but several college students as well and the younger students of the Symphonietta. We were truly a community of musicians having fun making music together.

Following the same format from previous years, the ALTYSO played several classical pieces, the professional musicians played pops and classics then the combined orchestras played Tchaikovsky and Stars and Stripes for the finale. Christopher Allen and Todd Gabriel conducted the orchestras and Beverly Houston conducted the ALTYSO Symphonietta.

Music, it's who we are and what we are about. Sharing is the best way to pass along this legacy to others.

Rehearsal photos at C.E. Byrd High School Band Room