The Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra (VYSO) is youth orchestra located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. [1] The VYSO operates out of St. James Community Square, [2] and is a non-profit organization that performs a series of concerts within the Metro Vancouver region. It also provides musical education and development for young musicians.
The Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1930 by R. Cyril Haworth as the Vancouver Little Orchestra. It was originally directed by the students themselves until the arrival of its first music director, George Coutts. [3] In 1938, the orchestra became attached to the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and was renamed the Vancouver Junior Symphony Orchestra. In 1945, a reorganization resulted in the orchestra's independence from the VSO and was renamed the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra. [4]
In 1990 Pam Chambers wrote a 32-page history of the orchestra, titled Sixty Years of Music Making: The Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra 1930–1990. [5]
The VYSO is made up of four student orchestras, each representing different age groups. Entrance to each of the four orchestras is through competitive auditions.
The Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras (FSYO) is a music education program in Central Florida, consisting of six primary ensembles with nearly 300 student musicians. FSYO is the oldest operating youth symphony in the state of Florida and is believed to be the 3rd oldest in the southeastern United States. It was originally affiliated with the now-defunct Florida Symphony Orchestra.
The Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO) is a youth orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts under the artistic leadership of music director, Federico Cortese. Since 1958, BYSO has served thousands of young musicians from throughout New England with three full symphonic orchestras, two young string training orchestras, six chamber orchestras, a preparatory wind ensemble, a chamber music program and a nationally recognized instrument training program for underrepresented youth from inner-city communities called the Intensive Community Program (ICP). The 2017-2018 season marks the celebration of BYSO's 60th Anniversary. Each year, BYSO auditions approximately 850 students from throughout New England, ages 5–18, and accepts nearly 500 young musicians.
Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras (SYSO) is the largest youth symphony organization and youth orchestra training program in the United States, as well as the eighth oldest.
The Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras (MCYO) is a youth orchestra program in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. Along with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the National Philharmonic, MCYO is affiliated with the Strathmore music center. MCYO's programs include a harp ensemble, several chamber ensembles, three string orchestras and three full orchestras. In total, MCYO consists of over 450 young musicians in grades 3 though 12.
The National Youth Orchestras of Scotland (NYOS) has a vision where all the communities access world-class ensemble youth music and share in its social, personal, and cultural benefits.
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 Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras, or JSYO, is a youth orchestra based in Jacksonville, Florida.
California Youth Symphony (CYS) is a San Francisco Bay Area symphony orchestra for young musicians of high school age and younger. It was founded in 1952 by Aaron Sten and in 1963 became the first United States youth orchestra to tour abroad, performing twelve concerts in Japan, including a joint concert with Tokyo Junior Orchestra Society. Since then, the orchestra has toured Mexico, Australia, Uruguay, Argentina and several countries in Europe and Asia. In 1994, the orchestra placed first in the International Youth and Music Festival Competition in Vienna. The orchestra has also collaborated with youth orchestras in Japan and in Switzerland. During the summer of 2014, the orchestra toured in Eastern Europe, and performed in Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, and the Czech Republic. Leo Eylar has been musical director since 1990.
The New York Youth Symphony (NYYS), founded in 1963, is a music organization for the youth in New York City, widely reputed to be one of the best of its kind in the nation and world. Its programs include its flagship Orchestra, Chamber Music, Jazz, Apprentice Conducting, Composition, and Musical Theater Songwriting Programs. Its members range from 12 to 22 years of age. NYYS members are said to include the most talented young musicians in the New York metropolitan area. In 2023, the New York Youth Symphony won the Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.
The Sudbury Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is a Canadian symphony orchestra based Sudbury, Ontario. Incorporated in 1975 as a not-for-profit registered charity, the orchestra performs a season of full orchestra concerts and chamber music concerts at a variety of venues in Sudbury, including the Sanctuary of Glad Tidings Church, on Regent Street South, and Fraser Auditorium at Laurentian University.
The Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra (GDYO) is a youth orchestra in Dallas, Texas, US, founded in 1972. GDYO has grown from a single orchestra of 35 members to a program of over 450 members. The principal group is the eponymous symphony, presently under the direction of the Maestro Richard Giangiulio. The organization as a whole comprises ten groups, which together provide musical opportunities for students from ages five to eighteen. Auditions are held each spring. Coaches and judges come from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Opera, Dallas Winds, and area universities and orchestras. The ensembles include two full symphonies, flute choir, clarinet choir, wind symphony, three string orchestras, jazz orchestra, and a jazz combo. The mission of Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra is to inspire and cultivate excellence in youth through music education, ensemble building, and performance opportunities.
The Singapore National Youth Orchestra (SNYO) is the national youth orchestra of Singapore. It is recognised by the Ministry of Education as a National Project of Excellence and a key development programme for talented young musicians. Since 1 January 2016, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has assumed management and operational responsibility for the SNYO, taking over the reins from the Ministry of Education.
The Dubuque Symphony Orchestra is a non-union, fully professional orchestra located in Dubuque, Iowa. It serves the residents of Dubuque and its surrounding tri-state area which includes 12 counties in Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. Under Music Director William Intriligator, over 75 professional musicians perform a repertoire of classical, chamber, opera and pops concerts each year. The DSO performs an average of 12 different concerts a year with a total of 25 performances.
The Indianapolis Youth Orchestra is an organization in Indianapolis, Indiana that exists "to develop the musical talent and nurture the personal growth of young people in Indianapolis and central Indiana through the rehearsal and performance of orchestral masterworks, both traditional and contemporary." The Indianapolis Youth Orchestra was founded by Susan Kitterman in 1982 and currently consists of three separate orchestras:
The Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra is a prominent orchestra from the Atlantic province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
The Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo, Norway, is a music education institute founded in 1927 by pianist Mary Barratt Due and violinist Henrik Adam Due. It is situated in Fagerborg in Oslo and is a private foundation which receives government funding for parts of its activities. The institute provides music education for many age groups, including infants and children, school-aged adolescents, and undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The Richmond Delta Youth Orchestra (RDYO) is an orchestral training program for young musicians located in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. The RDYO was formerly known as the Delta Youth Orchestra. The name was changed in March 2013. In September 2014 moved its base to Richmond, British Columbia. It previously rehearsed at the Ladner Community Centre, 4734 - 51st Street, Delta, British Columbia. The RDYO is sponsored by the BC Youth Music Society (formerly the Delta Symphony Society which is a registered non-profit charity and the society provides this orchestral and chamber music training program for young musicians from ages 5 to 24 years. The Orchestra was founded in 1971 by Harry Gomez, Fred Preuss, Charles Glushka, Anita Sleeman, and Aileen Docherty.
The Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy (OYOA) is a registered Canadian charitable organization that comprises two full orchestras, eight instrumental ensembles for strings, winds, brass and harp, a beginner's and pre-school program, and instruction in music theory and history through Grade 3 in the RCM Syllabus.
Anita Sleeman was a Canadian contemporary classical music composer. She was also a conductor, arranger, educator, and performer.
The Young Artists Orchestra of Las Vegas, (YAO) also known as The Dr. Shirley Linzy Young Artists Orchestra of Las Vegas and The Las Vegas Young Artists Orchestra, is a tuition-free & professional training youth orchestra founded by violist and conductor Yunior Lopez in 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The YAO consists of three primary ensembles with nearly 150 students and young professionals up to age 22.