photo courtesy of AYS

The American Youth Symphony will return to live performances for the 2021-22 season after an 18-month period of cancellations due to the pandemic.

AYS will resume its free Community Chamber Concert series throughout the city as well as concerts at Walt Disney Concert Hall and University of California Los Angeles’ Royce Hall.

The season officially begins Sept. 25 at Royce Hall with a performance led by Music Director Carlos Izcaray. Tickets are available on a pay-what-you-can basis.

AYS members receive early access to ticket reservations through Sunday, Sep. 5. Tickets open to the public on Tuesday, Sept. 7, at 9 a.m.

Academy Award-nominated composer David Newman will lead AYS at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on the museum’s opening day, Sept. 30, for two special live-to-picture presentations of “Wizard of Oz.”

The free Concert in the Park series, in partnership with Elemental Music, kicks off on Sunday, Oct. 17, with a percussion ensemble performance in Santa Monica’s Douglas Park, and continues on Sunday, Dec. 5, with a holiday-themed brass quintet performance in Santa Monica’s Tongva Park. These family-friendly events will also feature an instrument petting zoo.

The annual Hollywood Project concert will return to Royce Hall on Saturday, Nov. 6, with a live-to-picture performance of DreamWorks’ “How To Train Your Dragon,” featuring composer John Powell’s Oscar-nominated score and Mason Bates’ “Philharmonia Fantastique,” a 30-minute animated film that flies through the instruments of the orchestra to explore the age-old connection of creativity and technology.

Tickets are $18, and free for members. Following the concert, a special dinner will be held at Royce Hall’s outdoor courtyard.

Finally, AYS will return to the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Sounds About Town concert series Sunday, March 6, 2022, and will conclude the 2021-22 season with the 57th Annual Gala concert and dinner at Royce Hall Saturday, April 30, 2022.

After the concert, AYS will host the annual gala benefit dinner. Individual dinner and concert packages start at $450. Reserve concert and dinner tickets online at aysymphony.org or by phone at (310)470-2332.