The Asheville Buncombe Youth Orchestra begins its 17th season under the direction of Ron Clearfield at 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 16, in Trinity Episcopal Church in Asheville.

It will be an all-string program featuring Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins, the famous Air on the G String, Mark O’Conner’s Appalachian Waltz, music from the Broadway musical Wicked and the stirring Ashokan Farewell by Jay Unger that was featured in the PBS Civil War series.

Soloists will be Adair Brooks, a 10th grade home-schooled violinist, and Emily Eliot-Gains, violinist and junior at Asheville High School.

“I’ve worked with these two young ladies for more than four years,” says Ron, “and you’d be astounded at their very high level of talent and proficiency as well as that of the whole orchestra.”

The Asheville-Buncombe Youth Orchestra serves five counties in Western North Carolina and includes public, private, and home-schooled students. More than 60 students playing string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments practice weekly during the school year and showcase their talents in four annual performances.

The orchestra has graduated thousands of students, 25% of whom have gone on to study music in colleges, universities, and conservatories, and dozens have pursued professional careers in music.

Ron Clearfield, accomplished cellist, composer and conductor, is an honors graduate from the New England Conservatory of Music and has been Music Director and Conductor of the Youth Orchestra since 1994.

Admission to the concert is by donation. The Youth Orchestra is a nonprofit organization, supported in part by the Buncombe County and Asheville City school systems, and also by private and corporate donations. For information, visit ashevillesymphony.orgor email clearfieldstudios@earthlink.net.