Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, Inc.

Results: BYSO offers a continuum of orchestral and ensemble training to hundreds of students, ages 6 to 18, with three full orchestras, a string orchestra, six chamber orchestras, a preparatory winds ensemble, a chamber music program and the Intensive Community Program, a rigorous string training program for underserved youth. Each year, BYSO auditions over 700 elementary and secondary students and accepts over 400 musicians. The BYSO prides itself on creating a community for young musicians, their families and the people that support their passion for music. BYSO offers over 15 performances in some of Boston's finest venues including Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall at New England Conservatory, Sanders Theatre at Harvard University and the Tsai Performance Center at Boston University. The orchestras and chamber ensembles rehearse every Sunday from September through June at Boston University's College of Fine Arts, where BYSO has been in residence since it was established in 1958. The College of Fine Arts is a major sponsor of BYSO.

Programs: Founded in 1958, the BYSO is an independent organization in residence at the Boston University College of Fine Arts. BYSO’s mission is to encourage musical excellence in a professional and supportive environment by providing the highest-quality orchestra training and performance opportunities to qualified musicians, grades K–12, while making its programs accessible to under-served communities through financial assistance and outreach. BYSO has evolved from a single orchestra to one of Boston’s most prestigious arts organizations, with a programmatic scope that includes three full symphonic orchestras, two string training orchestra, six chamber orchestras, a preparatory wind ensemble, a chamber music program, and a nationally recognized string training program that provides rigorous instruction to students from underrepresented communities. Each year BYSO auditions over 750 students from throughout New England, ages 7–18, and accepts approximately 450 young musicians.