West Island Youth Symphony Orchestra
A rich, diversified and high-calibre repertoire
- regular season consisting of three concerts
- several free concerts for the benefit of the community
- musical camps, excursions, and collaborations
- concerto competition
- AOJQ Festivals participant
WIYSO consists of a Symphony Orchestra for musicians between the ages of 14 and 25, a String Orchestra for youth aged 9 to 16, and several small ensembles, such as string trios and quartets, a wind ensemble, and a brass quintet.
Mission
Bring together young musicians within an orchestral ensemble and enable them to perfect their music under the direction of a professional conductor.
Vision
Promote classical music and share enriching musical experiences with the community.
Core values
Respect
Acceptance
Performance
Open-mindedness
Development
Administrative Team
President and AOJQ Representative: Michel Joron
Vice-President and Secretary: Ted Cameron
Treasurer: George Sew
Musician Representatives: William Brenner, Yasmeen Kobeissi
String Musician Representatives: Maria Costa
Artistic Director and Conductor: Jean-Pascal Hamelin
Musical Director and String Orchestra Conductor: Jean Ai Seow
The Board of Directors is composed of dedicated volunteers who are elected at the Annual General Meeting by members of the WIYSO.
History
The West Island Youth Symphony Orchestra will be celebrating its 35th anniversary in the 2020-2021 season. The orchestra was founded in 1985 at the urging of the mayors from several West Island municipalities, and with the assistance of the Conseil des Arts de Montréal. Carole Corman was the first conductor and since then, the orchestra has been led by Véronique Lacroix, Giuseppe Pietraroia, Stewart Grant, and David Martin. In September 2019, Jean-Pascal Hamelin was handed the baton as the new Artistic Director and Conductor.
On June 11, 2023, Stewart Grant was designated Music Director Emeritus in recognition of his 18 years of dedication and commitment to WIYSO. What an accomplishment!
