For the past 10 years, youth across eastern North Carolina have gathered in Washington to perform for friends, family and the general public. These aspiring musicians travel from 10 counties to play together in the Eastern Youth Orchestras, an annual HeART of the City concert, sponsored by the City of Washington and the Beaufort County Arts Council.

The public is invited to attend the concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, as well as the reception following in the BCAC Gallery.

This year, the Washington Civic Center gives way to the Turnage Theater stage, as the performance space has moved with the arts council’s purchase, and relocation, to the Turnage last year. The new venue represents a step up for the young performers, according to the youth orchestras’ conductors, C. Greg Hurley and John B. O’Brien, two distinguished professors of music at East Carolina University.

“In their words, ‘This will give our young musicians a real professional experience,’” said Joey Toler, executive director of the arts council.

The Eastern Youth Orchestra was established over 25 years ago to enrich the education of dedicated young musicians in eastern North Carolina, many of who have no orchestra programs within their public school systems, Toler said. But an increase in interest a few years ago prompted the formation of a junior orchestra, composed of string musicians and conducted by Wendy Bissinger. Now, the Eastern Youth Orchestras includes a preparatory orchestra composed of children from fourth through seventh grades, as well as the junior and senior orchestras: in total, 35 middle-school and 45 high-school musicians represent Bertie, Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Greene, Nash, Northampton, Onslow, Pitt and Wilson counties.

On the program for Sunday are selections from both contemporary and classical composers.

“They are very good,” Toler said. “It’s usually just family and parents (in attendance), but I really want our community to take advantage of something happening here at the theater.”

For more information about Sunday’s free concert, call the arts council at 252-946-2504.