History

The Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) was originally founded in 1959 by Mary K. Rosen. In the beginning, MYSO included a mere 14 music students and at the time was known as the Chicago Young Judea Symphony. In 1968, parents of the orchestra members formed a non-profit organization for the purpose of providing financial and managerial support. The name of the orchestra was changed at that time to the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra.

MYSO was under the continuous direction of its founder and conductor until her death, at which time Pamela Overstreet Culley assumed the duties of director and conductor. Upon her retirement in 1985, Daniel Sommerville assumed her position. He was followed by James MacDonald in 1986 and Philip J. Bauman in 1988.

After a hiatus of two seasons, a process of dissolution was begun. The board, under the leadership of Nancy Denton, decided to relocate MYSO from Chicago to the Joliet area. Auditions were held in May of 1991 and our current music director, Lawrence Sisk, was hired for MYSO's first season in Joliet. Mary Jane Johnson, was hired in 1992 by the board to oversee the day to day business operations of the orchestra. In Spring of 2001, Mrs. Johnson retired and the position was filled by Mrs. Pam Nogal.

Board of Directors

Mel Gray, Jr., president
Michael Gorcowski, vice-president
Judy Culcasi, treasurer
Josie Sheppard, secretary
Mary Jane Poupa-Balaja
Daniela Broderick
Mary Jane Johnson
Mike McFerron
Stephen Platko
Lawrence Sisk, music director
Pam Nogal, executive director

Rehearsal

The orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Lawrence Sisk, rehearses on Wednesday evening from late August through May in Ives Hall at Lewis University.

MYSO Handbook

All members are expected to comply with the guidelines in the MYSO Handbook. Download the MYSO Handbook by clicking here (pdf).

Music Director

Lawrence Sisk has served as Chairman of the Music Department at Lewis University since 1988. Under his leadership the department has tripled its number of majors and minors, increased its offerings to non-majors, and established new ensembles open to all students. Following the renovation of its facilities in 1991, the Music Department established a Community Music School, which now offers non-credit instruction in piano, voice, guitar, and all orchestral instruments to children and adults.

Through the efforts of Dr. Sisk the department has acquired new instruments and equipment and attracted outstanding new full-time and part-time faculty. Sisk also introduced online instruction and laid the groundwork for construction of the electronic music studio.

As Music Director of the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra since1991, Maestro Sisk has conducted more than fifty public concerts of orchestral music. Under his leadership the orchestra has increased its membership and expanded its repertoire along with its audience. The orchestra gives nine public performances each season. Membership is open by audition to students from Lewis University and two other area colleges as well as to outstanding high school players. He also conducts the Lewis University Choir and the choir of St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church in Aurora, Illinois.

Lawrence Sisk received his M.M. and Ph.D. in musicology from Northwestern University in 1986. Dissertation research in Italy was supported by a Fulbright Grant. Postdoctoral studies have included seminars at the College Music Society Institute for Music Theory Pedagogy Studies, composition study with John Downey, and vocal studies with James King at Indiana University. Sisk also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Roosevelt University and studied at the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati.

Professor Sisk has received invitations to present at International Colloquia in Italy and Germany and has presented papers at meetings of the American Musicological Society and the College Music Society. His dissertation “Giovanni Simone Mayr (1763-1845): His Writings on Music,” has become a standard reference on the composer. An amateur linguist, Sisk is proficient in Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, French, German, English and has sung and conducted works in Catalan, Russian, Slavonic, and Hebrew.

Sisk has composed a great deal of sacred and liturgical music, much of it published by Red Earth Publishing. His Passion According to Saint John for a cappella choir and three speakers premiered in 1994. Kenilworth Psalms, for choir and chamber orchestra was commissioned and performed by the choir of Kenilworth Union Church in Kenilworth, Illinois on May 13, 2001. His motet Ave Maria for a cappella choir won first prize in the Windows Magazine competition 2003 and was published there as well as online by the Choral Public Domain Library: www.cpdl.org. His arrangement of Praetoriuss motet Erstanden ist der heilige Christ for choir, brass and organ is published by Concordia.

His secular compositions include Cuatro Canciones de Jorge Manrique for voice and piano, first performed in October of 1999, and The Twelve Tones of Christmas, commissioned by the ensemble Express and premiered on December 11, 1994 on a nationally syndicated broadcast over WFMT radio, Chicago.

A native of Georgia, Sisk has resided in the Chicago area since 1971. He now lives in Plainfield, Illinois with his wife and four children.

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