New York City Celebrates Charleston

On Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, the College of Charleston Orchestra had the experience of a lifetime performing on one of the most prestigious stages in the world — Carnegie Hall. Their performance, together with performances by the Charleston Symphony and Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra, gave a taste of the cultural jewels of Charleston.  

Under the direction of Yuriy Bekker, conductor of the College’s orchestra, these artistic powerhouses paid tribute to Charleston’s exceptional musical legacy and connections to New York City. The College’s ensemble played Antonín Dvořák’s New World Symphony Finale, which premiered at Carnegie Hall in 1893; Professor of Music Yiorgos Vassilandonakis’s Corsaro, (New York premiere); and former CofC music professor Trevor Weston’s Subwaves. Music Professor Edward Hart’s A Charleston Concerto, was performed by the Charleston Symphony.  

To celebrate the debut of the CofC orchestra at Carnegie Hall, a pre-concert Happy Hour for alumni and friends was held in the heart of NYC. CofC Cougar alumni can catch up and network, and guests toasted to their Cougar Pride and later enjoyed watching the orchestras take the stage on one of the most renowned music halls in the world.

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In the Media:

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Acknowledgements:
  • Yuriy Bekker, who is at the centerpiece of each orchestra and forged a unique collaboration 
  • College of Charleston and its generous donors, including staunch suppporters Frank and Peggy Oldham 
  • Our partners: Charleston Symphony and Charleston Symphony Youth Orchestra

College of Charleston Orchestra

Under the baton of acclaimed conductor Yuriy Bekker, this orchestra of music majors and passionate non-majors and faculty presents stirring concerts throughout the year including performances at the grand concert halls of Charleston. The orchestra has featured internationally renowned guest artists, such as violinists Augustin Hadelich (2022, 2024) and Sarah Chang (2023). In 2023, the College of Charleston Orchestra was one of four select orchestras to perform for the exclusive Capital Orchestra Festival at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. This milestone concert featured Brahms' Academic Festival Overture and Hungarian Dance no. 1, and "Charlestonia: A Folk Rhapsody" composed by Charleston's own Edmund Thornton Jenkins. The College of Charleston Orchestra continued a trajectory of excellence and opportunity with its debut at Carnegie Hall in 2025.

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