“Music isn’t invented by one person or one orchestra,” he says. “It gets passed along. And if I can continue that, that feels very special.” – Dacha Thurber, ‘20
When Dacha first picked up the violin, he wasn’t yet sure where music would take him, but he knew he wanted to make it with others.
“I hadn’t played in an orchestra before, but I was really interested in the orchestral experience.” After discovering BYSO, and impressed by its reputation, Dacha auditioned into the Junior Repertory Orchestra (JRO), marking the beginning of a journey that would shape not only his musicianship, but his sense of community and purpose.
Over the course of eight years as a student, he progressed through JRO, Repertory Orchestra (REP), and Boston Youth Symphony (BYS), each experience leaving a distinct imprint. “JRO was my very first orchestra, and it was eye-opening,” Dacha shared. “It’s hard to pinpoint a favorite, since each orchestra was impactful in its own way.”
Some of his most vivid memories came from BYS, though, where the repertoire pushed him to new artistic depths. He still vividly remembers performing Shostakovich’s 11th Symphony during his first year. “I remember sitting there, feeling like the sound was completely saturating the air,” he says. “I felt like I was going to be washed away.”
Opera also became a defining part of his BYSO experience. Playing Eugene Onegin for the first time left a lasting impression–not just musically, but emotionally. “The operas were a complete highlight for me, and I still love opera and play it as much as possible. I went home after the first rehearsal of Onegin with the singers and was completely blown away by how many people come together to tell one story. I even copied the vocal part into my violin part, so it’s a mess to try to read now, but that way I could follow along with the vocals too.”
Moments like these made clear why BYSO’s programming is serious, meaningful work that creates life-changing experiences for students. In Dacha’s words, “BYSO is phenomenal at creating those moments when you realize, ‘This is worth dedication.’”
Dacha graduated from BYSO in spring 2020, just as the world shut down due to COVID. With orchestras on pause and uncertainty ahead, he chose to take a gap year, determined to keep music at the center of his life and future plans.
He continued studying over Zoom, spent part of the year in rural New Hampshire, and eventually began assisting Ms. Marta, Conductor of our Petit Ensemble (PE) and Young People’s String Orchestra (YPSO), while BYSO programming continued remotely. That period marked his transition from student to teacher, and an opportunity to give back to the organization that had given him so much.
Dacha went on to study music as one of his majors in college, playing in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, taking as many classes as possible with BYSO Music Director and Conductor Federico Cortese, and continuing his musical study and performance. Even as life took him beyond his years as a student at BYSO, he has stayed closely connected.
Today, Dacha lives in New York, but makes the effort to commute back to Boston each Sunday to teach with Ms. Marta in his fifth year with BYSO as an assistant conductor–a true testament to the longevity, impact, and importance of the connections built in BYSO.
For him, staying connected goes beyond nostalgia. It’s about sustaining a community that continues to shape lives: “BYSO is filled with amazing people. Students, peers, mentors, teachers–it’s a real privilege to stay connected to a community like this.”
Those connections, in Dacha’s experience, are what allow the magic of music to continue. “I still think about little moments in rehearsal that really changed my life and how I think about music,” he says. “Supporting that teaching and those moments for students is how it continues.”
Now on the other side of the stand, he feels a deep responsibility, and gratitude, for the opportunity to give back. “It feels wonderful, because it was done for me. Enormous resources were given to me by my teachers, and now it’s my turn to pass them along.”
For other alumni considering reconnecting with BYSO, whether through volunteering, teaching, mentoring, or making a gift, Dacha’s message is simple and heartfelt: “Do it, is the short answer. We know how much BYSO changed our perspectives and our lives. We received an enormous benefit, and it’s our responsibility to support that for the next students.”
Staying connected isn’t only about looking back, it ensures that future students experience the same moments of discovery, challenge, and joy that once changed everything for our alumni. We hope you’ll consider supporting BYSO in a way that is meaningful to you with your own resources, whether that’s a donation this December, volunteering with fellow alumni, or staying up-to-date with ways to stay connected.
Dacha with the 2025-2026 YPSO ensemble.
Dacha with the 2024-2025 PE ensemble.
Dacha with the 2024-2025 PE ensemble.
Are you, or someone you know, a (G)BYSO alum with an interesting story or life update to share? Contact Delilah Rau, Development Operations Assistant, at dgrau@bu.edu or (617) 358-6119.