A Collaboration between Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony and the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra

Side-by-Side programs are joint initiatives of professional orchestras and youth orchestras; a chance for aspiring young musicians to play in the “major leagues” for a night or two. Students and pros become stand partners and sit side-by-side.

Some of the most prominent orchestras across the country host these programs, such as the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony, and many others.

We are proud to collaborate with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra on this special project and invite all to come attend the performances!

Join Us For Our Next Concert!

WHEN: Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 7:30pm

WHERE: Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall

WHO: Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra, Youth Symphony I, Concert String Orchestra, Music in the Clubhouse Honolulu ‘Ukulele Class

TICKETING: None! Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the Hawaii Youth Symphony and your Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra are pleased to offer these concerts FREE to the public. No tickets or RSVP needed.

Hawai’i Youth Symphony and Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra are both 501(c)3 non-profit organizations that rely on donor support to serve our community with music. If you would like to support your local orchestras, you can make a one-time or recurring donation at the links below, or purchase tickets to upcoming concerts. Mahalo!

ABOUT THE BEETHOVEN FESTIVAL

Orchestras all over the country are participating in Beethoven Festivals in their communities. Our Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra is playing all nine of Beethoven’s symphonies this spring, and we at Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony are thrilled to collaborate on the Festival’s grand finale performance!

This special collaborative performance leads the world in going above and beyond to celebrate Beethoven’s significant contributions to the canon. In the spirit of making Beethoven’s work accessible to everyday audiences, the concert is free and open to the public. Performers of all ages–from elementary school keiki to grandparents–come together to share this triumphant interpretation of Beethoven with our community. 

We look forward to inviting our whole community to attend this celebration of music. Please invite your friends and help us spread the word about this family-friendly event!

ELYSIUM – FANFARE ON THE BEETHOVEN SYMPHONIES, ARR. MICHAEL-THOMAS FOUMAI

The Side-by-Side concert will feature a special 8-minute score commissioned by the Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony to feature Youth Symphony I with our entry-level string and ʻukulele programs. 

Inspired by Beethoven and composed by Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra’s Composer in Residence and Director of Artistic Engagement Michael-Thomas Foumai, Elysium quilts together fragments from themes used in Beethovenʻs 5th, 6th, 7th, and 9th Symphonies into a sonic landscape of fanfares. 

Conducted by HSO Music Director Dane Lam and HYS Director of Orchestral Activities & Maestro Joseph Stepec

DANE LAM

Chinese-Australian conductor Dane Lam is music director of the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra and principal conductor and artistic director of the Xi’an Symphony Orchestra.

Born in Brisbane, Australia to an Australian mother and a Singaporean-Chinese father, Lam played piano, clarinet, and saxophone as a child, and studied conducting under Gwyn Roberts at the University of Queensland. Following an assistantship and three years of study with Gianluigi Gelmetti, then chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony and Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Lam attained his Masters from The Juilliard School on a full scholarship under James DePreist before undertaking a Junior Fellowship in Conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music under Sir Mark Elder, Clark Rundell and Mark Heron. A protégé of the late Kurt Masur, Lam held the post as his assistant conductor at the Orchestre National de France.

Under Lam’s artistic direction and stewardship, the Xi’an Symphony Orchestra almost doubled its classical subscription offering and attendance, raising the artistic standard and profile of the orchestra. Lam also led the orchestral revival in Australia following the initial Covid-lockdown and conducted the first (as well as consecutive) performances in front of live audiences for Opera Queensland, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

JOSEPH STEPEC

A passionate arts educator, Mr. Joseph Stepec serves as the Music Director of the University of Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra, the director of the Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony’s Symphony Program, the Artistic Director of the Pacific Music Institute and as an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Hawaiʻi.

He has worked closely with countless artists and regularly clinics for ensembles in Hawai’i and across the country and abroad in China. He has maintained a close relationship with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra and has been a frequent guest artist in their popular Ohana and Keiki Concert Series. 

As the director of two of the top educational ensembles in the state of Hawaiʻi, he has been featured on numerous broadcasts on radio and television that have reached thousands. 

In addition to leading orchestras, Mr. Stepec also maintains an active and varied teaching schedule. He teaches a private conducting and violin studio at the University of Hawaiʻi. Mr. Stepec studied violin performance at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Orchestral Conducting at the prestigious Eastman School of Music.

Fall 2023 Side-by-Side at the Waikiki Shell

Our fall 2023 Side-by-Side concert was performed by 150 musicians, which is possibly the biggest orchestra to ever perform at the iconic Waikiki Shell Amphitheater. With 86 musicians from Youth Symphony I and 64 musicians from the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra, this multi-generational orchestra includes musicians ages 14 to 70+. Hundreds of community audience members came out to enjoy the music, and we were thrilled to see so much enthusiasm and hear thunderous applause. 

“Having a Side-by-Side is about building community and providing an amazing musical experience for youth. They are our future, and this is a memory that will be imprinted for decades to come,” said HYS President Randy Wong.

Unlike some sports, in which our bodies tend to give out, music can be a lifelong passion and pursuit! Side-by-Side programs not only help to reinforce music’s lifelong benefits, but also build and enhance intergenerational relationships. An orchestra is a meritocracy and we can live, learn, play, and grow together. – Randy Wong

In crafting the experience, the HYS and HSO teams worked hard to ensure an inclusive, comfortable experience for all. It was not only a Side-by-Side for our musicians, but also for the hardworking staff and board members of both organizations, and all of our supporters. Mahalo to all the stakeholders of both the Hawaii Youth Symphony and Hawaiʻi Symphony for making this incredible event possible!

More about the Collaboration

The Hawaii Youth Symphony is fortunate to have a wonderful relationship with our local professional symphony. Many of our HYS conductors, staff members, and alumni are musicians in the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra. 

Read our newsletter about the collaboration!

The History

1977 Side-by-Side Program Book

The HSO x HYS Side-by-Side initiative has been part of our programming for decades. The first Side-by-Side concert, “A Taste of Symphony,” was held in September 1977 at McKinley High School. They continued to be held over the years when possible, but really became a priority during the 2012/13 season. We’ve had annual HYS x HSO Side-by-Sides consecutively ever since. Starting in the 2023-24 year, HYS and HSO are endeavoring to hold TWO Side-by-Sides each season. 

“This is an extraordinary commitment by both organizations to furthering music education and empowering Hawaii’s rising young musicians,” says Randy Wong, President & CEO of Hawaii Youth Symphony, and an HSO musician himself.  “Both organizations are active members in the League of American Orchestras, the governing body of orchestras nationwide, and through this Side-by-Side, we are jointly, and joyfully, leading the nation as music makers.”

The Process

Our students participate in a Side-by-Side rehearsal with the HSO the day before the show, and then perform the repertoire in a professional setting for a live audience the following evening. The Side-by-Side was initially created to give our most advanced Symphony Program students the experience of being a true professional musician. From arriving on time to being expected to sight-read difficult music on the spot, students learn professionalism in a challenging yet supportive environment. Our Side-by-Side initiative has continued to grow over the years, and we’ve been excited to extend these impactful opportunities to learn from and play alongside professional musicians to students in our HYS Jazz, Academy String Program, and Music in the Clubhouse programs as well!

The Why

We love the Side-by-Side initiative because it is a perfect reflection of our organizational values. Our mission is to foster fun and creative experiences for youth that inspire a deep appreciation for music and lifelong relationships within the culture of our islands. What better way to do so than to be mentored by and then perform with local professionals?

Through the Side-by-Side initiative, students gain valuable insights into the world of music, network with fellow musicians, and create memories that will last a lifetime. 

Interested in attending more concerts?

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