News
Youth orchestra will kick off concert series showcasing Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite with two shows in North-Western New Brunswick
MONCTON, N.B. Oct. 19, 2026: The New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, the province’s premiere symphonic ensemble, will initiate another season of musical accomplishment and brilliance with shows in Woodstock and Edmundston Oct. 24 and 25.
“Excellence Ignited“ is the theme for this year’s concert series, showcasing Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite for the six-concert schedule. The celebrated musical masterpiece is a professional orchestra staple and was also featured in the Disney animated film Fantasia 2000. Kenn Mainville, NBYO’s president and CEO, said the ambitious repertoire is fitting for the musical excellence displayed by the young musicians.
“The NBYO has been part of New Brunswick’s cultural life for more than six decades, and that is worth celebrating,” Mainville said. “These young musicians work at a very high level. They represent their communities, their families, and this province with discipline, focus, and pride. When New Brunswickers support the NBYO, they are not only supporting concerts. They are supporting young people who are learning what sustained effort can make possible.”
The concert series kicks off with two events, in Woodstock at the McCain Community Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. and Edmundston at the Cathédrale de l’Immaculée-Conception on Sunday Oct. 25 at 3:30 p.m. Maestro Tony Delgado, NBYO musical director and conductor, said the young musicians have been diligent in mastering this year’s challenging musical selections.
“Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite has been described as ‘big music for a big orchestra’. The young musicians at NBYO are handling this complex and dynamic piece the same as every year, with a lot of work, long hours of practice and great dedication,” Delgado said. “We also have an excellent faculty who guide them through this process and make the magic possible. Great teachers and coaches make the difference.”
The orchestra will also perform P. Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy-Overture; N. Rimsky-Korsakov, Russian Easter Overture; and A. Khachaturian Adagio from Spartacus during the concert.
Mainville said audiences in Woodstock and Edmundston can expect a strong, energetic opening to the NBYO season.
“This is a full youth orchestra performing an ambitious repertoire, including music that asks a great deal of young musicians. They can also expect the kind of commitment that has become a hallmark of the NBYO: careful preparation, musical discipline, and the excitement of young people rising to a serious artistic challenge,” Mainville said.
“It is especially meaningful to open the season in these communities. Woodstock marks a return after several years, while Edmundston builds on the connection renewed during the Titan Tour in June 2024. The NBYO belongs to the whole province, and these concerts are part of bringing that provincial orchestra to New Brunswick audiences.”
Sébastien Sirois, Director for the Sistema Edmundston Centre, said the Edmundston concert will be a homecoming for three NBYO members who are local centre graduates.
“We're all very proud of them, and they're real role models for our younger students… We want our students to make the connection: with steady work and progress, they too can reach the level of the NBYO and experience even more of the wonders of the orchestral repertoire, like Stravinsky's Firebird. Our students are very excited to see the NBYO live and their friends from our regional youth orchestra, Ensemble des Jeunes du Madawaska, who will play before the NBYO,” Sirois said.
The NBYO’s mission to ‘inspire children and youth to achieve their full potential through learning and performing orchestral music’ is more important now than ever, Mainville said.
“Young people need places where high expectations are matched with real support. Orchestral music gives them that. It teaches focus, discipline, teamwork, listening, leadership, and confidence. As the senior orchestra of Sistema New Brunswick, the NBYO also shows younger Sistema NB students what is possible when talent is developed over time. The music matters deeply, but the mission is bigger than performance. It is about helping young people discover what they can achieve,” he said.
Delgado said in 2025-26 the orchestra celebrated musical triumphs inspired by two members selected for the National Youth Orchestra, two more accepted to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London, another 10 graduates pursuing music careers in Canadian universities, and numerous awards at provincial and national music festivals.
“All of these accomplishments inspired us to challenge ourselves and continue the hard work to elevate the level and the lives of our young musicians,” Delgado said.
Mainville said the orchestra hopes the October shows attract loyal followers and those new to orchestral performances.
“The best way to support the NBYO is to attend a performance, bring someone who has not heard the orchestra before, share the word in your community, and help ensure that young musicians continue to have opportunities to perform at this level,” he said.
Sirois hopes more people discover the joy of live music and what it feels like to hear a full orchestra in person.
“We always welcome more visibility and understanding of our programs' impact and the high-level outcomes they make possible,” he said.
The “Excellence Ignited” concert series will continue in 2027 with concerts in Moncton, Jan. 9; Sackville, Jan. 10; Fredericton, Feb. 7 and Saint John, April 4. Tickets for all concerts are available at http://nbyotickets.com
