Local music educator assembles Coachella Valley Philharmonic Society, chamber series

"Locally, we had a big immigration as a result of COVID," says Nunzio Sisto, who was recently named music program manager at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. "We had a lot of former professional musicians move here who are philharmonic players from around the country. And so, we put together this chamber series of very fine musicians, and every two weeks we're having a concert at the Cultural Center."

Sisto is referring to the new Coachella Valley Philharmonic Society (CVPS), a collection of world class musicians currently residing in Greater Palm Springs whose aim is to provide philharmonic-level performances for Coachella Valley residents while supporting Sisto's nonprofit, Youth Training Orchestras of America (YTO).

"What we have now is a four-part cycle — the first concert is early music, the second concert's classical, the third concert's romantic and the last is modern music," he says.

"Our goal is, first and foremost, to support youth music with the sales and then we also have seats available for kids and parents."

Formed in 2017, YTO trains young musicians with an evolutionary educational method based on the smaller modern orchestras of Broadway's pits and Hollywood's film studios. The idea is to reduce the cost and number of students required so any town in America can experience its own youth orchestra.

The move to the Palm Springs Cultural Center is a major boon for the program.

"We were doing these little fundraisers for the youth orchestra," Sisto says, "and I was putting together chamber concerts. It's a positive way to raise awareness about music and get people to turn out and care about educating kids. But we were hitting our limit because we were having 30 to 40 people show up at private houses.

"And then Michael Green over at the Cultural Center reached out and invited the youth orchestra to join the Cultural Center's family and for us to bring our chamber series there."

Sisto believes the series will be beneficial to the students.

"We think it's really important for kids to see this and experience it in their own neighborhood, instead of having the perception that (great music) only happens in L.A. or San Diego. It's also for residents of the valley that enjoy classical music. We're doing a little bit of something for everyone."

The inaugural performance of the Coachella Valley Philharmonic Society Chamber Series will take place Tuesday at its new home at the Palm Springs Cultural Center and will feature Charles Metz on harpsichord. A 6:30 p.m. reception will be followed by the concert at 7 p.m. and a post reception at 7:45. Proceeds will benefit Youth Training Orchestras of America and the Palm Springs Cultural Center's theater 3 renovation.

Upcoming concerts will take place Aug. 9 and 23 and Sept. 6. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit psculturalcenter.org and click on the CV Philharmonic Society Chamber Series tab.

To learn more about Youth Training Orchestras of America or to make a donation, visit ytooa.org.

As the philanthropy and special sections editor at The Desert Sun, Winston Gieseke writes about nonprofits, fundraising and locals who give back. Reach him at winston.gieseke@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Local music educator assembles Coachella Valley Philharmonic Society