For 17 years, the Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony has sponsored a Young Artist Competition, the winners - Connor Chee and Jeremy Collins this year - of which perform with the orchestra. The symphony also has a youth orchestra. And it is planning its first children's concert in June. All concerts are free. 232-0949 or visit www.bamso.org.

The 2004 season:

May 31 - Annual Memorial Day Concert. Brahms, Academic Festival Overture, and music by Beethoven and Mozart. Also, a salute to veterans, and music by the Blue Ash Youth Symphony. 6 p.m., Blue Ash Towne Square.

July 3 - Independence Day Concert. Rob Reider narrates American Roots, with the bluegrass band, Retread. Also: Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, with pianist Connor Chee; Sousa marches and more. 7:30 p.m., Montgomery Park.

Sept. 6 - Labor Day Concert. Guitarist Jeremy Collins plays Vivaldi, and Metropolitan Opera soprano Blythe Walker sings arias. Music by Verdi, Mendelssohn and Respighi. 6 p.m., Blue Ash Towne Square.

Sept. 26 - Festival of Freedom Concert. The Bi-Okoto Drum and Dance Theater performs African music. Also: The Cincinnati premiere of My Name is Citizen Soldier by Frank Proto and poet John Chenault, narrated by Norman Johns, plus Duke Ellington's Three Black Kings. 6 p.m., Sycamore Junior High School Auditorium, Montgomery.

Oct. 17 - "Halloween in Outer Space," featuring Gustav Holst's The Planets and music from Star Wars and ET. 6 p.m., Sycamore Junior High School Auditorium.

Dec. 5 - Kindel Memorial Holiday Concert. Vivaldi's "Winter" from The Four Seasons and excerpts from Handel's Messiah. 7:30 p.m., Montgomery Assembly of God Church, Montgomery.