Orchestras & Ensembles
Louisville Youth Orchestra has ensembles to fit all levels of preparation from beginner to advanced. Each orchestra and ensemble is led by its own highly qualified conductor.
Symphony Orchestra
Symphony Orchestra is a full orchestra with strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. It features the LYO’s most advanced student musicians whose extra level of preparation and dedication lend to quickly learning advanced repertoire in a wide variety of styles. Throughout the season this ensemble also engages in special sectionals and performs in additional concert opportunities.
Philharmonic Orchestra
Philharmonic Orchestra is a full orchestra with strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. It includes student musicians who are prepared and eager to learn diverse repertoire of intermediate to advanced levels.
Concert Orchestra
Concert Orchestra is a string orchestra focused on developing student musicians who are eager to learn diverse repertoire of intermediate levels.
Serenade Orchestra
Serenade Orchestra is an entry-level string orchestra with student musicians who are eager to learn diverse repertoire at a wide range of beginning levels. In the 22-23 season, Serenade performed grade 2-3 concert music which generally aligned with the first 2 books of the Suzuki method.
Percussion Ensemble
Percussion Ensemble is an ensemble of percussion students who are eager to learn diverse repertoire of intermediate and advanced levels. Percussion Ensemble rehearses approximately 1.5 hours per week at the St Matthews Pavilion. Students in Percussion Ensemble also audition for possible placement in the percussion sections of Repertory or Symphony Orchestra. Percussion Ensemble provides an excellent way to advance one’s skills and to prepare for additional performance opportunities within the LYO.
Symphonic Wind Ensemble
The Symphonic Wind Ensemble is an intermediate to advanced level chamber ensemble for woodwind, brass, and percussion that will provide a unique education opportunity for advanced musicians. This ensemble shares student musicians with Philharmonic Orchestra in order to give all students more playing opportunities, wind and string musicians alike.
Concert Winds
The Concert Winds is a full woodwind and brass ensemble and will target advanced middle-school and young high-school students.
Serenade Winds
The Serenade Winds is an entry-level full woodwind and brass ensemble and targets middle-school students.
Presto! and Vivace! Strings
Presto! Strings is LYO’s year-one, beginner strings program. Presto! Strings is open to any and all 3rd through 5th graders interested in beginning violin, viola or cello. No musical experience is required. Students advance from Presto! Strings and into our year-two program, Vivace! Strings. LYO’s beginning strings programs are designed to help students begin a string instrument, particularly in circumstances where students may not have access to such opportunities otherwise.
