All orchestras and ensembles in performance / Iroquois Amphitheater / April 30, 2023
Our 65tH
Season
Musicians
300+
Scholarships
80
Counties
16
Ensembles
8
The Louisville Youth Orchestra fuels the passion and growth of young musicians through extraordinary musical experiences. LYO ensembles include 2 full orchestras, 2 string orchestras, and 4 chamber ensembles for strings, winds, brass, and percussion, as well as 2 beginning strings programs. Performances feature a range of repertoire and take place from September through May. View recent Season Highlights.
The LYO was founded in 1958 and is one of the first youth orchestras in the country.Our students are required to participate in their school ensembles (where available) and to take private music lessons.
We are an inclusive community for musical enrichment and personal growth. Who we are and what we do are driven by our Guiding Values.
Scholarships funded by our supportive patrons are available each year and awarded based on need in order to address financial barriers to membership.
There's a place for you in the LYO!
Student musicians of all ages and abilities are encouraged to audition for the 2023-2024 season. See All About Auditions to learn more, register, and access music excerpts.
??? Frequently Asked Questions
SEP
17
OCT
15
NOV
12
First Rehearsal 2:00 at YPAS
Community Meeting all members
Concerto Competition.
First Concert 4:00
Serenade, Horizons, Percussion
2022-23 Concerto Competition
A concerto is a musical composition that typically features a solo instrument and a full orchestra. Each season members of the Symphony and Repertory orchestras may propose concertos to be played with their respective orchestras. Members contact their conductor to propose a piece and determine its viability. Pieces that are accepted may then be submitted for audition and will compete with other submissions. Winning pieces will subsequently be performed at a Classical Concert later in the season. Further information and online submission is available at Concerto Competition Registration.
FIRST REHEARSAL More than 300 students were welcomed to the first rehearsal at the Youth Performing Arts School (YPAS).
FIRST REHEARSAL Doug Elmore conducts the Symphony Orchestra in its first rehearsal of the 2023-24 season.
FIRST REHEARSAL Ian Elmore conducts the Repertory Orchestra in its first rehearsal on September 17.
The Louisville Youth Orchestra is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and has met the Better Business Bureau’s 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. The LYO is a BBB Accredited Charity. View the LYO’s full charity report.
The LYO benefits from critical professional and/or financial support from the following:
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, provides operating support to the LYO with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Team Kentucky established a Nonprofit Assistance Fund dedicated to direct relief payments to eligible nonprofit organizations in the Commonwealth of Kentucky providing services to Kentucky citizens.
Louisville Youth Orchestra programming is made possible in part with the support from the generous donors to the Fund For The Arts.
The LYO Presto! Strings Program is supported through a community-driven external agency grant from Metro Louisville.
The Cory Foundation supports local organizations and has shown great support of the LYO scholarship program.
The League of American Orchestras is dedicated to helping orchestras meet the challenges of the 21st century.
The Marshall Family Foundation supports nonprofits in the Louisville area through philanthropic gestures