Young Promise International Festival and Competition

June 5th, 2010 Young Promise Competition

June 6th, 2010 Young Promise 2010 Winners' Concert

The Bristol Chamber Orchestra virtuoso strings, keyboards, woodwinds, brass & percussion perform music of all periods from the Renaissance to the present day. Our varied repertoire enables us to play both serious 'classical' concerts and lighter Pops concerts. We also accompany choral groups and collaborate with other artists and groups in the production of musical and theatrical events. In addition, the orchestra and small select ensembles made up of members of the BCO work in studios and sound-stages in the production of music for Industrial Applications including Film, TV, Videogames, Commercials & Live Concert Broadcasts.

The professional musicians come from the rich cultural scene of the Boston area. Most hold positions in other well-known area orchestras such as the Boston Ballet, the Boston Lyric Opera, the Rhode Island Philharmonic and the Boston Pops. Many teach at the great musical schools in the area-Boston University, New England Conservatory & Brown University.

BCO brings quality musical performances & educational activities to the state of Massachusetts, and performs regional tours.

Under the umbrella of the Chamber Music Society of Easton, they sponsor activities which enable both amateur and professional musicians to share the experience of music making, listening, and learning. They present renowned guest soloists including members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and collaborate with other area performing groups, including choruses and composers.

The music director, violinist Harris Shilakowsky, has appeared as soloist and/or concertmaster with many orchestras including the New Orleans, Omaha and Charleston Symphony Orchestras, the New England Conservatory and Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestras, and in live recitals on NPR Stations in Boston, Omaha and Nashville. He also performs with groups such as the Boston Lyric Opera, the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Boston Ballet, Pro Arté Chamber Orchestra, the Boston Lyric Opera Co., and the American Symphony. In 1994, Mr. Shilakowsky was a guest leader of the London Symphony Orchestra. In 1994, Mr. Shilakowsky was a guest leader of the London Symphony Orchestra where he performed in recording sessions, tours and performances under music director Michael Tilson Thomas, Sir George Solti, Sir Colin Davis and André Previn in performances with Jessye Norman, Yuri Bashmet, Peter Zimmerman, and Kiri Te Kanawa, among others.

He is a former concertmaster of the Charleston, New Orleans, Omaha, Grand Rapids, Las Palmas Symphony Orchestras, and the Des Moines Metro Opera Orchestra. He has also performed with the Boston, Chautauqua and Nashville Symphonies, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Handel-Haydn Society of Boston, the Opera Company of Boston, the Lyric Opera Company of Boston and the Boston Ballet.