WALDORF, Md. — The Charles County Youth Orchestra, under Music Director Osman Kivrak, will present its 2026 Winter Concert on Sunday, January 18, at 3:00 p.m. at Thomas Stone High School, 3785 Leonardtown Rd., Waldorf. The free, public performance features four ensembles and concludes with a reception.
The Charles County Youth Orchestra will perform Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 8, Joseph Haydn’s “Farewell” Symphony, and Giovanni Battista Viotti’s Violin Concerto No. 23, with 2025 CCYO Concerto Competition winner Autumn-Sky Leroy as soloist. Encore Strings, directed by Teri Lazar, will play J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5. Encore Band, led by Takako Mato, will perform “Salute to Liberty.” The two intermediate groups will combine for Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture. Prelude Strings, directed by Gabrielle Stanback Satterthwaite, will present three works by Baltimore composer Brian Balmages. All four ensembles will unite to close the program with Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”
The concert highlights the organization’s four-ensemble structure serving young musicians across multiple levels. Prelude Strings supports beginning string players, Encore Strings and Encore Band serve intermediate musicians, and the Charles County Youth Orchestra features advanced players. CCYO draws students from Charles, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, Calvert, and Anne Arundel counties.
Mid-year auditions for all ensembles are scheduled for Saturday, February 7, from 9 a.m. to noon at Christ Church in La Plata. Auditions welcome all levels and instruments except piano. Requirements and registration are posted at the organization’s website.
Throughout the current season, CCYO ensembles have performed at venues including the Maryland Veterans Museum, Port Tobacco Courthouse, Alice Ferguson Foundation, Nanjemoy Community Center, the Charles County Fairgrounds during Kris Kringle, Indian Head Village Green, Bel Alton High School, and Christ Church in La Plata. The group presents three major concerts annually, along with smaller performances, a two-week Chamber Music Festival, a Concerto Competition Concert, masterclasses, and sectionals.
Recent recognition includes an online film spotlight by the Charles County Arts Alliance, a feature on WTOP radio, and two CCYO String Quartets advancing as finalists in the Washington Performing Arts Society Misbin Chamber Music Competition in Washington, D.C.
The Charles County Youth Orchestra receives partial support through grants from the Charles County Charitable Trust, the Charles County Arts Alliance, and the Maryland State Arts Council, supplemented by individual donations.
This Winter Concert continues CCYO’s commitment to providing performance opportunities and music education for youth in Southern Maryland and neighboring counties, building skills through ensemble work, competitions, and community outreach.