MODESTO - The Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO) presents its season finale concert on Saturday, May 11, at 3 p.m. at Gallo Center for the Arts.  

This concert will feature the MSYO 2012-13 Concerto Competition winners; 14- year-old violinist Yunah Kim from Modesto High School is the MSYO Division winner and 12-year-old violinist Jonathan Altman from Ustach Middle School is the Community Division winner.

General seating tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth. Tickets are available through the Gallo Center for the Arts Ticket Office at (209) 338-2100, Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays noon to 6 p.m. or at www.modestosymphony.org

The MSYO is currently in its 36th successful season serving nearly 100 member musicians and their families from over forty public and private schools in the Central Valley. Led by MSYO Music Director and the MSO Associate Conductor Ming Luke, the MSYO attracts outstanding musicians from area schools and allows them the opportunity to share their gift of music in an inspiring and challenging orchestral setting among their peers from all social, economic, cultural and geographic background.  As a program within the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association, MSYO members enjoy musical interactions with MSO musicians as well as guest artists and guest conductors through coaching, master classes, rehearsals and concerts.

The MSYO consists of three ensembles: 1) The Concert Orchestra is a preparatory strings only ensemble; 2) The Wind Ensemble is a beginner to intermediate woodwind, brass and percussion ensemble; and 3) The Concert Orchestra includes a full complement of intermediate to advanced string, woodwind, brass and percussion players. All three ensembles are formed through skill -based auditions.

 The MSYO Concerto competition is open to performers of all orchestral instruments, piano, guitar, saxophone, and voice under the age of 22 on May 11. There are two divi¬sions for the competition: (1) Current MSYO members and (2) members of the community and surrounding region. The Community Division is open to residents of Stanislaus, San Joaquin, and Merced counties. All candidates submitted a recorded audition CD and then finalists were advanced to the live audition round.