The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra (DPO) is a fully professional musical group in Dayton, Ohio, formed in 1933. It is a member of the League of American Orchestras (LAO) and the Regional Orchestra Players' Association (ROPA), and presents programs mainly of classical music, but also occasionally performs world music, pops, jazz and rock-n-roll.
Between September and May each year, the orchestra performs about 9 full-orchestra concert series, 4 chamber orchestra series, 4 operas with the Dayton Opera, 3 light family concerts, 4 Young People's Concerts, 6 SuperPops series, and several concerts for special occasions. [1]
The DPO has been housed in the Schuster Performing Arts Center since 2003. Prior to that, the orchestra played concerts at Dayton Memorial Hall, the Dayton Convention Center, and the Victoria Theatre. The orchestra has been led by Musical Director Neal Gittleman since 1995. [2]
On May 30, 2024, Keitaro Harada was announced as the new Music and Artistic Director Designate for the 2024-2025 season, officially taking the helm as the orchestra's new leader beginning July 1, 2025. [3] [4] Harada made his DPO debut on April 5-6, 2024, guest conducting a concert entitled “Total Eclipse: The Sun and The Planets,” featuring Carl Nielsen’s Helios Overture ; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 16 in D and Louis Moreau Gottschalk's Grande Tarantelle for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 67 (both performed by pianist Richard Dowling); and Gustav Holst’s The Planets . [5]
Founded in 1937 by Paul Katz, the DPYO is the 3rd oldest youth orchestra in the United States.[ citation needed ]
The DPYO performs three concerts each season and was invited to perform at the 2002, 2004, 2006, 2014, and 2018 Ohio Music Education Association conferences. The Youth Orchestra regularly appears on the Dayton Philharmonic's Family Concert Series, which has included collaborations with Cirque de la Symphonie, Zoot Theatre, the Dayton Ballet II Senior Company, performance artist Dan Kamin, and the Magic Circle Mime Company. The Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra celebrated its 80th anniversary in the 2017–2018 season by commissioning composer Austin Jaquith to compose a work for the orchestra. The DPYO celebrates its 85th season in 2022–2023.
The DPYO is supported by the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, the Association of Parents and Friends of the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and by the Dayton Philharmonic Volunteer Association. The DPYO is affiliated with the Youth Division of the League of American Orchestras. The youth orchestra rehearses weekly during the school year at the University of Dayton's Raymond L. Fitz Hall.
The youth string orchestra is open for competitive audition for students of string instruments in grades 6 - 12. It was originally known as the Dayton Philharmonic Junior String Orchestra. The name was changed in 2011 to the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Strings.
The Dayton Philharmonic Junior Strings was formed in 2014 for young string players not quite ready for the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Strings. The junior string orchestra is open for competitive audition for students of string instruments in grades 4–8.
Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO) is an orchestral music education organization in Chicago, Illinois that was founded in 1946 to provide music education and instrumental training of the highest quality to Chicago area youth.
The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra (HPO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Hamilton, Ontario. The orchestra gives concerts primarily at the FirstOntario Concert Hall.
Daniel John Harding is a British conductor.
Minnesota Youth Symphonies, commonly referred to as MYS, was founded in 1972 by Ralph Winkler. The program has five orchestras composed of students from elementary level through high school, with participation's based on an annual audition. All levels of MYS perform at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, as well as other locations, and hosts workshops and classes.
The Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) is the oldest youth orchestra in the United States, established in 1924 as the Portland Junior Symphony (PJS). Now based in Portland, Oregon, the orchestra's origin dates back to 1910, when music teacher Mary V. Dodge began playing music for local children in Burns, Oregon. Dodge purchased instruments for the children and organized the orchestra, which would become known as the Sagebrush Symphony Orchestra. After touring the state, including a performance at the Oregon State Fair in Salem, the orchestra disbanded in 1918 when Dodge moved to Portland. There, Dodge opened a violin school and became music director of the Irvington School Orchestra.
The Richmond Symphony is based in Richmond, Virginia, US and is the largest performing arts organization in Central Virginia and one of the nation's leading regional orchestras. The organization includes a full-time orchestra with more than 70 musicians, the Richmond Symphony Chorus with 150 volunteer members, and the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra programs with more than 260 student participants. Each season, approximately 200,000 community members listen to live concerts and radio broadcasts by the Richmond Symphony, and 55,000 students and teachers participate in the Symphony's educational outreach programs.
Gustavo Adolfo Dudamel Ramírez is a Venezuelan conductor and violinist. He is currently the music director of the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He is scheduled to become the Music and Artistic Director of the New York Philharmonic in 2026.
Brett Dean is an Australian composer, violist and conductor.
New England String Ensemble was founded in 1993 by violinist Peter Stickel and cellist John Bumstead to champion strings in performance and education and is one of the country's leading professional string orchestras. The ensemble consists of 26 professional string musicians who perform four concert programs a year at both the Rogers Center for the Arts in North Andover, Massachusetts and New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. It is led by conductor and music director, Federico Cortese, and performs music from the 17th century to the present.
G. Lewis Doll (1901–1985) established the first string program in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) in the 1940s. At this time, no other public school district in San Antonio offered string instruction. As the SAISD string program grew, Doll started the San Antonio Youth Symphony around 1950. A second orchestra for junior high school students was formed in the 1960s and both orchestras operated under the auspices of the SAISD until 1979.
The Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra (DPO) is an orchestra based in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1997 and operates under the auspices of the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra Association, a corporation limited by guarantee and Irish charity, The former Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra was active from the 18th century to the 1930s. The famous violinist, conductor and impresario Pierre Van Maldere conducting from 1751. The present music director and conductor is Derek Gleeson.
Bravo! Vail is an annual classical music festival held in Vail, Colorado. Its current artistic director is Anne-Marie McDermott.
The Reno Philharmonic Orchestra is a professional symphony orchestra based in Reno, Nevada. Its season runs from late September through April. The current music director is Laura Jackson.
Svante Henryson is a composer, cellist, bass guitarist and double bassist, active within jazz, classical music, and hard rock.
The Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony (MAYS) is a youth orchestra in the Central Florida region founded in honor of conductor and cellist, Jonathan May. The MAYS is led by Artistic Directors Maureen May and Michael Miller and features eight orchestral groups spanning beginner, intermediate and advanced skill levels, as well as several in-school string orchestra programs. In 2015, MAYS added Dr. Chung Park, Director of Orchestras and String Music Education at the University of Central Florida, to the artistic staff as conductor of the Symphony. The MAYS currently rehearses at St. Alban's Anglican Church in Oviedo, Florida and Lake-Sumter State College in Leesburg, Florida.
Keitaro Harada is a Japanese conductor and music and artistic director of Savannah Philharmonic, Permanent Conductor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Partner for the Aichi Chamber Orchestra. In May 2024 he was announced as the incoming Music and Artistic Director Designate for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Harada is a former Associate Conductor of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Arizona Opera, Richmond Symphony Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra. He has been Music Director & Conductor of the Phoenix Youth Symphony, Assistant Conductor of Macon Symphony Orchestra. In 2013, he was featured in the Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview by the League of American Orchestras. In 2023, he received The Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award from the Solti Foundation U.S. On May 30, 2024, Harada was announced as the new Music and Artistic Director Designate for the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra in Dayton, Ohio beginning with the 2024-2025 season, officially taking the helm as the orchestra's new leader beginning July 1, 2025.
Maureen May is an American cellist and conductor. She resides in the Orlando, Florida, area and is a noted cellist in the region and co-founder and artistic director of the Metropolitan Area Youth Symphony.
Metropolitan Youth Symphony is a youth orchestra based in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A, founded in 1974 by Lajos Balogh with a handful of students. It now consists of 400+ students across fifteen orchestra, band, strings, flute, percussion and jazz ensembles, led by an artistic team of thirteen conductors and directors. It has rehearsal sites in both Portland and Hillsboro, Oregon. MYS accepts young musicians from kindergarten through early college age at all levels of experience.
The Young European Strings (YES) School of Music is located in Dublin, Ireland and specialises in the early development and training of young professional musicians. The YES School of Music provides tuition for the violin, viola, cello and double bass. The Young European Strings Chamber Orchestra (YESCO) has performed throughout Europe and has released three albums to date.
Founded in 1948, the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra (DPO) is a semi-professional orchestra in Denver, Colorado led by music director Lawrence Golan. The DPO performs six concerts per season on the Antonia Brico Stage at Central Presbyterian Church.