About CYSO
Tomorrow’s musicians together today
The Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra provides young musicians of the Annapolis–Baltimore–Washington region with the opportunity to enjoy and refine their musical skills in ensemble performance, nurture musical talent, deepen appreciation for orchestral literature, and encourage support for youth music and the arts.
The Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra was established in 1990 by several parents of young musicians in the greater Annapolis area who were looking for a more challenging orchestral experience for their children, and specifically for their children’s opportunity to play music from the standard classical repertoire. A few years later a Strings orchestra was established in order to help string players become capable of playing the more difficult full orchestral music performed by the Symphony. A Repertory (now Concert) orchestra was added at an intermediate level, and a Wind Ensemble to develop woodwind and brass skills comparable to the level of strings play. Very young or least experienced strings players participate in the Preparatory Orchestra.
Because of a super abundance of talented flute players in the region (many more than needed for the two full orchestras), two Flute Ensembles were established. More recently a Jazz Ensemble was developed to provide an opportunity for talented players to experience this genre, and most recently (2017) a Chamber Orchestra has been added so that players, primarily strings and woodwinds, with a serious interest in pursuing a career in music in college and beyond would gain exposure to the great masters of the Classical and early Romantic periods, like Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert.
Meshing both educational and performance goals, CYSO supplements school music programs in the region, in which our students are strongly encouraged to participate. For home-schooled students and those whose local schools do not offer orchestral opportunities, CYSO provides an ensemble playing experience. All students are encouraged to receive private lessons to develop their individual skills.
Touring has become an important component of the CYSO experience, beginning in the summer of 1995 with a trip to the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Other trips, which have become more frequent in recent years, have been to France, Italy, St. Petersburg (Russia), Ireland and Montreal. These trips, in addition to giving our students experience with foreign cultures, have helped to develop camaraderie among our older students.
Meet the artistic leadership guiding CYSO students across orchestral, wind, jazz, and flute ensembles.
Music Director • Chamber Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra Conductor
Julien Benichou is one of the most interesting and accomplished conductors of his generation. He is an uplifting presence on the podium, and his interpretations are flexible, elegant and spontaneous. He is also very clear and his musicianship and approach have led to memorable collaborations that I have tremendously enjoyed, as concertmaster and soloist alike. Kurt Nikkanen, Concertmaster, New York City Ballet Orchestra. Hailed as “one of the most interesting and accomplished conductors of his generation,” Julien Benichou is noted for his blend of flexibility and control, inspiring musicality and incredibly infectious energy. Benichou currently serves as Music Director for the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra (MSO), and was recently appointed Principal Conductor of the Washington Opera Society. He is also the Music Director of the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) and the Southern Maryland Youth Symphony Orchestra (SMYOC). In December of 2017 he made his debut with the New York City Ballet (NYCB), in three performances of Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, and returned to Carnegie Hall, in a concert that featured Robert Redford and Vice-President Al Gore.
The administrative team supports CYSO’s programs, families, and day-to-day operations.
Executive Director
CYSO is supported by a board committed to strong arts leadership and youth music education.
President
Treasurer
Secretary
Director
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Executive Director
Dane Krich is a versatile freelance percussionist in the Baltimore and D.C. metropolitan areas. An active orchestral and chamber musician, Dane has played percussion with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Maryland Symphony Orchestra, Concert Artists of Baltimore, Baltimore Philharmonia Orchestra, Landon Symphony Orchestra, Trinity Symphony Orchestra, and the Central Maryland Chorale.
His timpani credits include the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, the Pan American Symphony, Central Brass Ensemble, Trinity Symphony Orchestra, the World Bank Chamber Orchestra, and the St. John's Chamber Orchestra. A well-practiced drum set artist and hand drummer, Dane is versed in many different styles of music and has played and toured with the likes of Martin Short, Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno, Bay Street Brassworks, and many other jazz, Cuban, Brazilian, gospel, and rock/pop ensembles.
Dane has had the honor of performing at Barack Obama's second inauguration at the Kennedy Center, as well as on the stage at Carnegie Hall in Tim Janis's production The American Christmas Carol.
A sought-after theater musician, Dane has accompanied countless musicals. He has performed for Everyman Theatre, Toby's Dinner Theatres, Imagination Stage, Red Branch Theater, Adventure Theatre, Tidewater Players, Memorial Players, American University, Roland Park Country School, St. Paul's School, Friends School, Gilman School, Young Actors Theater, and many other community theaters, universities, and schools.
During the summer of 2009, Dane toured extensively with Olney Theatre's National Players production of Ain't Misbehavin', and throughout the summer of 2011, he dedicated himself to Olney Theatre's production of Grease.
Dane is the director of percussion studies at Morgan State University, where he teaches applied percussion lessons and percussion methods and directs the percussion ensemble. He also teaches at Music & Arts in Timonium. Dane has published an article in Percussive Notes titled Teaching Percussion to Students with Special Needs. He is a member of both the Vic Firth and Remo educational teams.
Dane graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music from Towson University and earned a Master of Music from the University of Maryland, College Park. His principal percussion and timpani teachers have included Michelle Humphreys, Dale Rauschenberg, Tony Ames, and Ben Ramirez.
Other percussion and timpani instructors include Brian Prechtl, Dennis Kain, Barry Dove, and William Elliott. His drum set instructors have included Frank Russo, Steve Fidyk, and Dan Garvin.
Board President
Chie Smith is a versatile pianist and music educator with over 20 years of experience across Japan and the United States. Her musical journey began at the age of four, leading to intensive professional training in piano, music theory, vocal performance, and aural training starting at age fourteen.
A graduate of Senzoku Gakuen College of Music with a degree in Piano Performance and a specialized teaching license, Ms. Smith has dedicated her career to nurturing musical talent. Before moving to the U.S., she served as a music teacher in Yokohama, Japan, while managing a private piano studio of over 50 students. She also performed as a resident pianist at an upscale French restaurant, where she was recognized for her artistic expression and technical skill.
Since relocating to the U.S. in 2004, Ms. Smith has been an active member of the musical communities in Maryland and Georgia. After moving to Georgia in 2006, she served as a church pianist from 2007 to 2010. In 2018, she joined the Atlanta Ballet as a pianist, focusing on the harmony between musical expression and dance. Additionally, she served as a music instructor and choral conductor for the Georgia Japanese Language School.
Returning to Maryland in 2018, Ms. Smith has continued to be a dynamic leader in both education and cultural exchange. She currently serves as the Music Director for the Keisho Washington Japanese Heritage Center, a Japanese language school, and shares her expertise as a Piano Instructor at Broadneck High School through the Anne Arundel County Guest Artist program. Her cultural contributions include performing traditional Japanese songs with a Koto player at the Embassy of Bangladesh for UNESCO’s International Mother Language Day celebrations. She also leads and instructs choral and traditional folk dance presentations at Howard County’s annual Japan Day.
Beyond her musical pursuits, Ms. Smith provides Japanese language training for U.S. federal government employees. As a fitness instructor, she currently focuses on online programs, dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of the Japanese community worldwide. In her personal time, she is an avid cook and traveler. These diverse interests and roles allow her to bring an energetic, holistic approach to both arts and education.
スミス知恵は、日本とアメリカの双方で20年以上のキャリアを持つ、多才なピアニストであり音楽教育者です。4歳から音楽の道を歩み始め、14歳からはピアノ、音楽理論、声楽、聴音にわたる専門トレーニングを積んできました。
洗足学園音楽大学のピアノ専攻を卒業し、音楽教員免許も保持しているスミス氏は、これまで音楽の才能を育むことに尽力してきました。渡米前は、横浜市にて音楽科教員を務める傍ら、50名以上の生徒を抱える盛況な個人ピアノ教室を運営。また、高級フレンチレストランの専属ピアニストとして、その芸術性と確かな技術が高く評価されました。
2004年の渡米以降、スミス氏はメリーランド州およびジョージア州の音楽コミュニティにおいて活躍して来ました。2006年にジョージア州へ拠点を移してからは、2007年から2010年まで教会ピアニストとして勤務。さらに2018年にはアトランタ・バレエ団にてピアニストを務め、音楽表現とダンスの調和、協調性を学びました。ジョージア日本語学校の音楽指導者として合唱の指揮や指導も務めています。
2018年にメリーランド州へ戻り、現在は教育と文化交流の両面でリーダーシップを発揮しています。ワシントン日本語継承センター（日本語学校）のミュージックディレクターに就任しているほか、アンアランデル郡のゲストアーティストとして、ブロードネック高校のピアノ講師も務めています。文化交流においては、ユネスコ「国際母国語の日」の祝賀会に際し、バングラデシュ大使館にて日本の伝統唱歌を箏と共演。また、ハワード郡主催のJapan Dayでは、リーダー兼指導者としてコーラスや伝統的なフォークダンスの紹介・出演を担っています。
音楽以外にも、日本語講師として米国連邦政府職員のトレーニングを担当するなど多分野で活躍。また、フィットネスインストラクターとして、世界各地に住む日本人の健康をサポートしたいという想いから、現在はオンラインを中心に活動しています。私生活では音楽や運動のほかに、料理や旅行をこよなく愛しており、芸術、教育、健康の三側面から、心身の調和を重視したエネルギッシュな視点をもたらしています。