DCYOP Around Town: Fall Edition

Here are a few sightings of DCYOP staff and students outside the classroom:

Director of External Affairs, Betsy Purves, presented the Excellence in Youth Creativity award to nine-year-old fashion designer and author, Gabby Loftin, at the 38^th annual Mayor’s Arts Awards at the Lincoln Theatre on September 28^th. The Mayor’s Arts Awards is an inclusive celebration for District residents across all 8 wards that honors the city’s vibrant creative community and its patrons.

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On October 22nd, DCYOP students (and board member, Dennis de Tray!) were spotted haunting the halls of the REACH at the Kennedy Center as volunteers for the National Symphony Orchestra’s annual Halloween Spooktacular concert celebration. Our students staffed the Haunted Hall Musical PLAYspace!, where they provide treats to young trick-or-treaters, demonstrated their instruments, and provided musical performances for all the attendees.

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Eleven DCYOP and Washington Musical Pathways Initiative students and their families attended the Sphinx Virtuosi concert at Takoma Park Seventh-Day Adventist Church on October 21^st. Sponsored by Washington Adventist University as part of its Anna H. Wang Presidential Concert Series, the Sphinx Virtuosi treated the packed venue to an exciting and engaging program of contemporary and historic works by Black and Latinx composers, including a new double double-bass concertante by member Xavier Foley, who won the Sphinx Competition in 2014. Entitled Galaxy, the work featured the composer and 2022 Sphinx Competition winner, Kebra-Seyoun Charles, as soloists in a blistering performance that brought the audience to its feet. “The Sphinx concert was fantastic!” shares DCYOP and WMPI Artist, Jonathan Stiff. “I really enjoyed the diversity in the music and composers they chose to play. A particular moment that stood out to me was when Xavier Foley played his original contrabass duet piece with Kebra Seyoun-Charles along with string ensemble. The amount of transitions in that particular piece helped to show me how versatile all the players were and how classical music can continue to take influence from other genres.”

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Executive Director, Loretta Thompson, met with DCYOP families on October 21st for an informal meet and greet at Takoma Elementary School. Caregivers had the opportunity to chat with one another, learn more about Loretta and her role in the organization, and share their experiences and ideas for how DCYOP can continue to grow and evolve to meet its community’s needs.