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 began. 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 Lawrence Sisk was hired for MYSO’s first season in Joliet. Dr. Sisk remained music director until 2020, for nearly 30 years. Dr. Benjamin Firer became music director in 2020. Mary Jane Johnson was hired in 1992 as executive director to oversee the day to day business operations of the orchestra. This position was later filled by Mrs. Pam Nogal in 2001, and Audra Sybert in 2016.
In 2009, MYSO was awarded the prestigious St. Genesius Award for outstanding achievement in the arts by Lewis University.
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 began. 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 Lawrence Sisk was hired for MYSO’s first season in Joliet. Dr. Sisk remained music director until 2020, for nearly 30 years. Dr. Benjamin Firer became music director in 2020. Mary Jane Johnson was hired in 1992 as executive director to oversee the day to day business operations of the orchestra. This position was later filled by Mrs. Pam Nogal in 2001, and Audra Sybert in 2016.
In 2009, MYSO was awarded the prestigious St. Genesius Award for outstanding achievement in the arts by Lewis University.
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Board of DirectorsPam Nogal, president
Michael Gorcowski, vice-president Daniela Broderick, treasurer Benjamin Firer, music director Audra Sybert, executive director Mel Gray, Jr. Heather Godsey Mary Jane Johnson Rich Moore Mike McFerron Jolynn Patterson Devan Szopinski Rev. Daniel Torson Patrick Wolf |
Music DirectorDR. BENJAMIN FIRER
An award-winning conductor, Benjamin Firer is active throughout the Chicago area. He holds conducting positions at Lewis University, Northeastern Illinois University, and the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras. Benjamin received his Doctorate in Orchestral Conducting from Northwestern University and a Master’s Degree from Yale University. As an orchestral musician he has recorded for the Naxos and Albany labels. As a guest conductor, Firer has made appearances with the symphony orchestras of of Champaign-Urbana, Dubuque, DuPage, Miami, Fargo-Morehead, Orchestra de la Francophonie, Pennsylvania Chamber Orchestra, Northwestern University Opera Theatre, Alice Millar Brass Ensemble, and New Music New Haven. |
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Firer was selected as an Emerging Conductor with the Peninsula Music Festival and as the conducting fellow for the Atlantic Music Festival. He has garnered awards including The American Prize in Conducting, The Woolsey Concerto Competition, Yale Chamber Music Competition, Ellen Battell Stoeckel Fellowship, and the Long Island University Conductors Award. Recognized for his musical entrepreneurship, he was granted the SUNY Thayer Fellowship in the Arts and the Emma Peters Hooper Endowed Award.
Assistant Music Director
IZABELLA GIERON
Izabella was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. As a child, Gieron displayed advanced skills in violin and piano- she studied piano with Katarzyna Nowak and violin with Joseph Glymph. In 2021, Gieron achieved a Bachelor's degree in Music Education and Violin Performance from Northern Illinois University, where she studied with Blaise Magniere.
Upon obtaining her degree, Gieron has continued to stay active in the music community. She has taught privately for eight years with a specialization in violin and piano, and she is an active chamber coach for high school orchestra programs around the Chicago-land area. Today, she is the Orchestra Director of Prospect Heights School District 23 and the assistant conductor for the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to performing and teaching locally, Gieron has taken her music abilities abroad and has performed at international events such as the Folklore Music Festival in Paso Fundo, Brazil, in 2016. In 2018, she performed at the CIOFF International Festival in Arequipa, Peru. In 2019, she had the opportunity to perform at The International Folklore Festival in Zamość, Poland, also known as the EUROFOLK – ZAMOŚĆ.
Izabella was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. As a child, Gieron displayed advanced skills in violin and piano- she studied piano with Katarzyna Nowak and violin with Joseph Glymph. In 2021, Gieron achieved a Bachelor's degree in Music Education and Violin Performance from Northern Illinois University, where she studied with Blaise Magniere.
Upon obtaining her degree, Gieron has continued to stay active in the music community. She has taught privately for eight years with a specialization in violin and piano, and she is an active chamber coach for high school orchestra programs around the Chicago-land area. Today, she is the Orchestra Director of Prospect Heights School District 23 and the assistant conductor for the Metropolitan Youth Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to performing and teaching locally, Gieron has taken her music abilities abroad and has performed at international events such as the Folklore Music Festival in Paso Fundo, Brazil, in 2016. In 2018, she performed at the CIOFF International Festival in Arequipa, Peru. In 2019, she had the opportunity to perform at The International Folklore Festival in Zamość, Poland, also known as the EUROFOLK – ZAMOŚĆ.