CYSO: Gershwin’s Magic Key

This week on Introductions, an entire brand new album! Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras‘ flagship ensemble was chosen to be the first ever youth orchestra to record an album for Classical Kids Music Education. Classical Kids stages theatrical concert productions with actors and orchestras, telling stories of the lives and music of famous composers. Their latest production is Gershwin’s Magic Key, which is released as an album February 25, 2021. The CYSO Symphony Orchestra was recorded in Chicago’s Studebaker Theater in February 2020 with their music director Allen Tinkham. Actors Elic Bramlett and Leslie Ann Sheppard recorded their parts subsequently, and Paul Pement designed the SFX. In this episode of Introductions, Robbie Ellis interviews three musicians on the album: current CYSO violist Kimberly LaFranzo; then CYSO Concertmaster Ariana O’Connell; and the album’s head writer, music supervisor, and featured pianist William Robert Martin. Afterwards, we hear Gershwin’s Magic Key in its entirety. The podcast version of this episode is just the interview portion.