University City Symphony Orchestra

The University City Symphony Orchestra looks forward to an exciting 2024-2025 Season, “Voices From The Fringes!” We hope you join us as we explore musical “fringes,” orchestral works that are “off the beaten path” with amazing soloists and composers from the St. Louis region and around the world.

The UCSO will continue our tradition of providing an outlet for local artists and celebrating extraordinary lesser-known works by well-known composers. All concerts will remain free of charge.

Season highlights include:

• Local musicians Jonathan Reycraft, trombone (SLSO) and Jeffry Heyl, baritone will make their debut with the UCSO on the season opener concert.
• Piano virtuosa Sonia Ovrusky Fensome will make her UCSO debut, performing Sergei Prokofiev's Second Piano Concerto.
• In a collaboration with Intercultural Music Initiative in St. Louis, the UCSO will welcome pianist Artina McCain to perform Caprice for Piano and Orchestra by Nigerian-born and St. Louis-based composer Fred Onovwerosuoke. McCain is dedicated to promoting the works of Black and other underrepresented composers, and curates Underrepresented Composers Concerts for multiple arts organizations. Onovwerosuoke founded the St. Louis African Chorus in 1994, which has become Intercultural Music Initiative.

 UCSO features and supports emerging young artists through the Schatzkamer Young Artist Competition (YAC). The original conductor of the UCSO, William "Willie" Schatzkamer founded the YAC in the late 1960s. Initially, he was the sole judge for the competition, and the young musician he ranked highest performed as soloist with the Orchestra. The UCSO is proud to continue this tradition, for instrumentalists aged 13-22, and vocalists aged 16-26. Young musicians from all over the St. Louis Metro Area compete before a panel of three professional adjudicators to earn a cash award and the honor of playing as soloist with the UCSO. While there is generally one annual winner, the panelists do, at times, award honorable mention status to other competitors, and these runners-up also perform on the season finale.

 The UCSO will continue our tradition of providing a venue for local and regional composers and soloists and celebrating extraordinary lesser-known works by well-known composers. All concerts will remain free of charge, granting access to a diverse audience.