Aurora Youth Symphony's got a story to tell

Listen up! The Aurora Youth Symphony Orchestra has got a story to tell and it's telling it in song.

The symphony will perform its first of three major annual concerts, titled "Music that Tells a Story," at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, at Aurora's Paramount Theatre.

The Aurora Youth Symphony is a nonprofit program for elementary and secondary school musicians, consisting of two full orchestras, the 85-member Youth Symphony, and the 45-member Aurora Youth Sinfonietta.

Members are from 30 towns, including Aurora, Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles, Plainfield, Yorkville and Oswego.

Director Gregg Porter said the sinfonietta will perform selections from the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "The Nutcracker Suite" while the symphony will perform George Gershwin's "An American in Paris" and the original "Nutcracker Suite."

"We try to vary the programs every year and this year's program includes selections that all tell a story," Porter said. "And each of the pieces will be performed by the area's best young and dedicated musicians."

Tickets are $8 and can be purchased from any orchestra member or by contacting Porter. Porter said tickets also will be available at a table outside the theater just before the performance.

"We usually get between 700 and 800 guests but we've already got 800 tickets sold through presale," Porter said Tuesday.

Earlier this spring the symphony participated in the Music In the Parks Music Contest in St. Louis featuring bands, orchestras and choirs from more than 46 schools across the country.

The trip Orchestra, which was comprised of members of the Youth Symphony and the Sinfonietta, finished in first place in the High School Full Orchestra Division. They then received a first place overall rating for scoring the highest in the field of the 12 string and full orchestras in the festival.

If You Go

What: Aurora Youth Symphony Orchestra concert

When: 3 to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 16

Where: Aurora's Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd.

Cost: Tickets are $8 and can be purchased from symphony members or at the theater prior to the show