CIYS

The CIYS, founded in 1965, consists of the most experienced musicians in our organization. Students range in age through high school. Its members are drawn from a wide geographical area and enjoy the enrichment and challenge of performing with other serious and dedicated musicians.
The Youth Symphony has a history of presenting exciting repertoire and looks forward to each season of fine performances.

CIYS Artistic Director David Commandy...

David Commandy began playing the cello at the age of nine, soon discovering an undeniable connection to music making. At Harvard College he studied psychology, science, music and languages while performing as cellist and conductor. He went on to study music in Vienna, where he was awarded the prestigious Austrian State Scholarship and the Austrian Staatsdiplom in orchestral conducting.

On returning to the United States his early professional posts included: Music Director of the Boston Ballet, Assistant Conductor of the SanDiego Symphony, Associate Professor of Music at the Virginia Commonwealth University and Music Director of the Harvard-Radcliffe Mozart Society Orchestra.

David Commandy arrived in Peoria from the East Coast, where he was Associate Conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Music Director for the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (GBYSO). While music director of the GBYSO Commandy brought that program to rank among the top five in the nation. He lead international tours, CD recordings, major commissions and world premiers with composers and soloists such as Ivan Tcherepnin and Yo-Yo Ma.

Commandy is active in Central Illinois in many roles, guest conducting for Opera Illinois, Peoria Ballet and appearing as cellist in chamber music recitals as well. He recently was guest conductor for the Israel Philharmonic, New Hampshire Symphony and the National Symphony at Wolf Trap in Washington, D.C.

Directors Notes

Message from David Commanday

Dear CIYS Friends:

This has been a full and productive summer for me and for my family, and hopefully you all can say the same!

There have been a few trips for music-making, and to show our champion Scottish Terriers. We have some young ones who show great promise. Many of you will remember the Chiara String Quartet, who gave us the wonderful master class in February 2006 - well, one of the pups who is already well on her way to her championship is named Chiara, since she was born on the day of their concert! Chiara's cousins are also looking great and growing up beautifully; Malibu Magic "Gallant Lad", "Rhapsody in Blue", and "Ms. Dolly by Golly".

As usual I've been working on planning for future concert seasons, studying scores, and reading. I'm researching a book on conducting, a subject near to my heart.

I look forward to our coming season. Remember; don't worry about the seating hearings: I ask for them so that I get to know each of you just a bit better. I will make the best assignments I can, so that everyone is challenged and we can sound our very best. Please do your best not to regard seating assignments like race results - they are not. The important thing is your progress as a player and musician and person, and the right way to measure that is within yourself, not by comparison to others.

Soon we'll be making music together - with quite a few pieces for the Fall Concert. Enjoy these last weeks of summer, and practice!

Yours,
David Commanday

Tuition

The current tuition for CIYS is $225.00 per year. This is payable in two installments. The first installment is due in June at time of notificaion of acceptance and the second installment is due in September when rehearsals begin.