Costume Concert kicks off Tacoma Youth Symphony season

Photo by Loma Cobbs

CONDUCTOR WITH ATTITUDE. Tacoma Youth Symphony Association Director and Conductor Dr. Paul-Elliott Cobbs as Darth Vader, just one of the many costumed characters audiences will see and hear during “Night at the Movies Costume Concert.”

With Halloween just around the corner, the Tacoma Youth Symphony Association (TYSA) is celebrating the opening of its 47th season with its third annual “Night at the Movies Costume Concert” on Oct. 25. Put your creative side to work by dressing in costume, then sit back and listen to the beautiful music of Tacoma Youth Symphony (TYS) and the Tacoma Young Artists Orchestra (TYAO) at this popular seasonal performance.

The Costume Concert is a fundraiser for the TYSA scholarship fund. “In addition to raising money, it gives the organization a chance to reach out to parts of the community that may not come to a regular season concert, and it gives the students a chance to play some ‘pop’ music,” TYSA Marketing Manager Kristina Thomas said.

TYS and TYAO will be performing various pieces that will be instantly recognizable to young and old, including themes from “Star Wars,” “Lion King,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Indiana Jones,” “Bugs Bunny,” “Star Trek” and more. The student musicians, as well as the conductors, will dress as characters from these movies, and audience members can come in any costume that tickles their fancy (but please remember this is a family event). “It is just a fun chance to get to hear some wonderful music that you normally wouldn’t hear on a concert stage and an opportunity to wear that Halloween costume more than once,” Thomas said. “Also, the spectacle is great – how often do you get to see Chewbacca the Wookie playing the trumpet or Gandalf conducting an orchestra?”

The TYSA is a non-profit service organization serving the greater Tacoma/Pierce County community with low cost and free public concerts. Established in 1963, it has grown from one orchestra to the fourth largest youth symphony organization in the United States with seven ensembles, wind and harp training, theory classes and a summer music festival. The organization draws students ages 7-21 from all over the Puget Sound to audition each summer for placement in one of the seven orchestras. TYSA has also earned an international reputation and has received invitations to perform throughout Europe, in China and for the 2003 Cultural Olympiad, which preceeded the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. With the generous support of donors, TYSA has guided more than 10,000 young musicians in a professional level symphonic literature-based program. TYSA relies heavily on donations from supporters to give students the best music education possible.

The TYS has performed in Europe, twice in Carnegie Hall, and most recently was the Washington representative for the National Festival of the States in Washington, D.C. It is the oldest and top orchestra in TYSA. Students in TYS range from juniors in high school to college students, and is conducted by Music Director Dr. Paul-Elliott Cobbs. TYS performs three regular season concerts as well as an education concert for fourth graders. The TYAO was created in the mid-80s. Dale Johnson has conducted this orchestra since its creation. It is made up primarily of 10th and 11th-graders, as well as a few seniors and freshmen. TYAO also performs three regular season concerts and does a school tour during their season.

“Night at the Movies Costume Concert” will give two performances, at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets are available through the TYSA office or by visiting the website at http://www.tysamusic.org. Office hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the two Saturdays preceding each TYSA concert from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The ticket office opens one hour prior to each performance and credit cards are not accepted at the door. Anyone is allowed to join the festivities and the main floor is wheelchair accessible.

The costume concert will be held at Rialto Theater, located at 310 S. 9th St. The Tacoma Youth Symphony Association is located at 901 Broadway Plaza. To order tickets, call (253) 627-2792 or send e-mail to , Visit http://www.tysamusic.org to find dates and times for the upcoming season performances. They also have a profile on Facebook and a page for alumni.

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