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Tomorrow’s Musicians Today

The HYO has six orchestras ranging from beginning strings to advanced full orchestra. Auditions are required for our top three orchestras (Philharmonia, Sinfonia, and Huntsville Youth Symphony) and materials are now available. Registration for our non-auditioned orchestras will be available soon.

Join the HYO for the 2024-2025 Season!

Huntsville Youth Orchestra

The Huntsville Youth Orchestra (HYO) nurtures the musical, social and educational development of young musicians from the Tennessee Valley in an orchestral setting. The HYO is dedicated to providing children and youth with a fun, musical experience and benefits/rewards that will last a lifetime. The programs instill cooperation, discipline and patience, developing young musicians into appreciative listeners and participants.

Orchestras

  • The Huntsville Youth Symphony (HYS) is an advanced full orchestra open by audition to accomplished string, woodwind, brass, and percussion students from across the Tennessee Valley. The HYS is the premiere performing ensemble of the Huntsville Youth Orchestra and among the finest youth orchestras in the Southeast. The HYS performs frequently in a broad variety of concert settings. HYS is conducted by Joseph Lee.

  • Sinfonia is an intermediate full orchestra open by audition to accomplished string, woodwind, brass, and percussion students from throughout the Tennessee Valley. String players wishing to audition for Sinfonia should be performing repertoire at the Suzuki Book 6 level (or equivalent), and should be enrolled in private lessons. Woodwind, brass and percussion students interested in auditioning for Sinfonia must possess strong music reading skills. Sinfonia performs frequently in a wide variety of concert settings. Sinfonia is conducted by Dr. David Ragsdale.

  • Philharmonia is an intermediate string orchestra open by audition to accomplished string students. String players wishing to audition for Philharmonia should be performing repertoire at the Suzuki Book 3-4 level (or equivalent), possess intermediate music reading skills, and should be enrolled in private lessons. Philharmonia is conducted by Joseph Lee.

  • Concert Orchestra is an intermediate level string orchestra for young string players with at least two years of experience. Concert Orchestra students continue to explore and develop skills and techniques essential for orchestral playing. This orchestra is designed to be a 2-4 year course. Students wishing to participate should be in Suzuki Book 3 level (or equivalent), and possess intermediate music reading skills. Concert Orchestra is conducted by Kelli Battraw.

  • Intermezzo Orchestra is an elementary level string orchestra for young string players with at least one year of experience. Intermezzo Orchestra students begin to explore and develop skills and techniques essential to orchestral playing. Students who wish to participate should be studying from the second half of Suzuki book 1 or Book 2 level (or equivalent), and possess elementary music reading skills. Intermezzo Orchestra is is conducted by Kelli Battraw.

  • The Novice Strings program is a beginning level course, and open to children with little to no experience. Novice Strings focuses on the development of elementary techniques, note reading, and the art of string playing. Students are enrolled for the entire year at the beginning of Fall semester only. Students may be admitted later in the academic year at the discretion of the instructor. Novice Strings is conducted by Bethany Wing.