Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta – Sistema (YONA-Sistema) is a program offered by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. This program is modeled on the ground-breaking El Sistema project in Venezuela which uses music for social change and teaches the values of unity, harmony, and mutual compassion.

Five days a week, for almost three hours each day, 53 students receive group instrument lessons, led by qualified teachers, at no cost to their families. In this caring environment, students are given nutritious snacks, homework help, and engage in free play and physical activity, and are then bussed safely home.

Another twenty-six students meet once per week in a “YONA Explorers” program, building their musical and social skills in an introduction to the YONA philosophy.

Katie O’Rourke, along with students and friends will perform a variety of Bach!

String students from KinderU Suzuki Music Academy in Hong Kong will join together to perform Bach’s works which are found in their foundation repertoire. In addition, advanced students have learned a piece especially for this event.

The Camarata Chamber Singers will be performing Bach’s motet, “Der geist Hilft, unsrer Schwacheit auf”. Other groups will also perform other music. The group is the face of the Camarata Music Company. The ‘Chamber Singers’ is an auditioned choir of 30 singers that performs regularly throughout the year. Along with their two major concerts, the choir can be seen singing for fundraisers, lecture concerts, various business events, and private parties. Recent concerts have included Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer at Kookmin University, Ramirez’s Misa Criolla at the Seoul Arts Center, Bach, Rutter and Tin music, also at the Seoul Arts Center, Dobrogosz’s Mass at Hoam Art Hall, and numerous other concerts.

The choir has also been invited to perform at numerous VIP functions, including an exclusive performance in May, 2011 for the president of South Korea, MyungBak Lee, and ambassadors from most countries represented in Korea, at the President’s residence, the going away/birthday party in October, and in 2011 for former US Ambassador to Korea Kathleen Stephens, at her residence, a 2014 Christmas concert at the residence of former UK Ambassador to Korea, Scott Wightman, among numerous others. The choir has also collaborated in concert with other top tier ensembles in Korea, including the Seoul Ladies Singers, Changwon City Choir, and the National Chorus of Korea.