Philadelphia Youth Orchestra

In 2016, a new companion ensemble, the (YMDO), or Young Musicians Debut Orchestra, was introduced.

Members of both orchestras are chosen through highly competitive auditions held in June and September of every year.

The orchestras have played music by such composers as Gustav Mahler, Ludwig van Beethoven, Dmitri Shostakovich, Antonín Dvořák, Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein, Sergei Prokofiev, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Richard Wagner, Richard Strauss, and more.

In addition to playing local venues such as Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center, PYO has participated in numerous international tours with sold-out concerts in countries such as Brazil, Poland, Vienna, China, Czech Republic, Italy, Russia, Jordan, Israel, Spain, England, Switzerland, France, Germany, Argentina, Uruguay, The British Isles, and Australia.

The conductor of the Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra (PYAO) is Maestra Rosalind Erwin.