Presented by Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras
A Benefit Concert for Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras
"Notes & Narratives" is WYSO's signature benefit concert, an intimate, immersive evening that brings together WYSO musicians, world-class artists, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a deeply engaged audience in support of music education across Wisconsin.
Each year, Notes & Narratives spotlights a single masterwork, presented in two compelling parts:
"Narratives" opens the evening with an illuminating exploration of the music. WYSO Music Director Kyle Knox guides audiences through the story behind the work – its creation, historical context, and lasting significance – offering rare insight into the composer's life and artistic vision.
After intermission, "Notes" brings the masterpiece fully to life in performance. Enriched by the earlier discussion, the music resonates more deeply, creating an experience that is both intellectually engaging and emotionally powerful.
1:30pm: Cocktail Hour
3:00pm: Narratives
3:45pm: Intermission
4:00pm: Notes
This year's program features Beethoven's Symphony No. 2, presented with members of the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Madison Symphony Orchestra. Composed in 1802 – at the very moment Beethoven was confronting the devastating reality of his deafness – the Second Symphony is one of the great acts of defiance in music history. Rather than despair, he answered with a work of radiant energy, humor, and sheer joy, bristling with wit and propulsive momentum. It stands at the threshold between the Classical grace of Haydn and Mozart and the bold, revolutionary voice that would come to define him.This year’s Notes & Narratives invites audiences inside that turning point: the story of a young composer choosing hope, and the triumphant music it produced.