Educational Highlights from Our 2024–25 Season

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@rvasymphony #HardLaunch #YouthOrchestra #OrchestraMemes #ClassicalMusic #MusicEducation

Next up in this year’s YOP Summer Spotlight is RSYO violinist Samantha, who was selected to perform with NYO2, a free and highly competitive orchestra program comprised of some of the top American musicians ages 14 through 16! 🎻🌟

This year, NYO2 performed at Carnegie Hall and as a resident orchestra at Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland. Selected works included Prokoviev’s Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major and Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, featuring world-renowned cellist Alisa Weilerstein. In the cover photo, Samantha is pictured with NYO2 2025 conductor Rafael Payare, Music Director of the @sandiegosymphony. Congratulations, Samantha—we are so proud to have you represent YOP and Richmond on an international level! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🎶🛩️

YOP students, are you interested in being featured on our social media? Visit the link in our bio and tell us all about how you’ve been making music this summer! This opportunity is open to both current YOP students and 2025 graduates.

@rvasymphony @nyo.usa @carnegiehall #YouthOrchestraProgram #NYO2 #NationalYouthOrchestra #Prokofiev #Shostakovich

Calling all violins, violas, cellos, and double basses! Registration for String Sinfonietta is now open! 📣🎻🎉

Sinfonietta is the entry-level ensemble in the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program, and membership is open to any young violinist, violist, cellist, or double bassist ages 8 and up who has been playing their instrument for at least one year. Seats are currently available in all sections; we especially encourage young violists to apply.

In Sinfonietta, students learn the basics of playing in an orchestra while developing skills already learned on their instrument. Sinfonietta is conducted by Matt Wilson, music educator in Chesterfield County Public Schools.

To register, visit the link in our bio and fill out the Sinfonietta interest form. A Richmond Symphony staff member will be in touch with registration information shortly. Registration is open until all sections are filled, so we encourage interested students to complete the interest form as soon as possible. No auditions are required to join Sinfonietta.

Photos from the 2024–25 season by James H Loving Photography (@jamesloving).

@rvasymphony #RichmondSymphony #StringSinfonietta #Violin #Viola #Cello #DoubleBass #Orchestra #MusicEd #MusicEducation #RVAFamilies #ClassicalMusic

It may be summer break for the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program—but our students have fun making music all year long! Swipe to hear about RSYO harp and 2025 graduate Sylvie’s summer adventures with @greenspringmusic. ☀️🎶

“I attended the Maryland Summer Harp Institute, which included young harpists from across the country,” says Sylvie. “For one week, we took masterclasses, collaborated on new pieces, and performed concerts in Frederick County, Maryland. I got to study with the former royal harpist for the Prince of Wales’s Court and the current principal harpist for the US Marine Band (America’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization!).”

YOP students, are you interested in being featured on our social media? Visit the link in our bio and tell us all about how you’ve been making music this summer! This opportunity is open to both current YOP students and 2025 graduates.

@rvasymphony #RichmondSymphony #RichmondSymphonyYouthOrchestraProgram #YouthOrchestraProgram #Harp #Harpist #GreenspringMusic #RVA #RichmondVA

Happy 804 Day from the Richmond Symphony School of Music! Whether we’re presenting a community concert under the Big Tent or performing in elementary schools across central Virginia, we’re grateful to be a part of Richmond’s vibrant and ever-growing arts community! Swipe to see some of our favorite moments across RVA from the past few years 🎶 #804Day

1. Big Tent 2025 at Chimborazo Park @rvagov
2. Discovery Concert 2024 @dominionenergycenter
3. Educational Ensembles 2024 @henricocountyschools
4. YOP concert 2024 @vcuartsmusic
5. Instrument petting zoo at Mile of Music 2025 @maymont_rva
6. Pocahontas State Park 2024 @chesterfieldvaparksrec
7. Big Tent 2025 at Chimborazo Park @rvagov
8. Instrument petting zoo at Red, White, and Lights 2025 @henricorecparks
9. Future Music Educators Symposium 2024 @vcuartsmusic
10. YOP concert at Carpenter Theatre @dominionenergycenter
11. Tabling at All-Virginia Band, Chorus, and Orchestra 2025 @virginiamusiceducators
12. Discovery Concert 2024 @dominionenergycenter
13. VMEA 2024 @virginiamusiceducators
14. Big Tent 2025 at Chimborazo Park @rvagov
15. Big Tent 2024 at Crump Park @henricorecparks

@rvasymphony #RichmondSymphony #RVA #804 #RichmondVA #Virginia #RVAFamilies #RVAThingsToDo

Registration for String Sinfonietta is now open! 📣🎻 Sinfonietta is the entry-level ensemble in the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program, and membership is open to any young violinist, violist, cellist, or double bassist ages 8 and up who has been playing their instrument for at least one year. Seats are currently available in all sections; we especially encourage young violists to apply.

In Sinfonietta, students learn the basics of playing in an orchestra while developing skills already learned on their instrument. Sinfonietta is conducted by Matt Wilson, music educator in Chesterfield County Public Schools.

To register, visit the link in our bio and fill out the Sinfonietta interest form. A Richmond Symphony staff member will be in touch with registration information shortly. Registration is open until all sections are filled, so we encourage interested students to complete the interest form as soon as possible. No auditions are required to join Sinfonietta.

Photos by Demetrius Holloway Photography (@whoisholloway).

@rvasymphony #RichmondSymphony #StringSinfonietta #Violin #Viola #Cello #DoubleBass #Orchestra #MusicEd #RVAFamilies #ClassicalMusic

Photos from our recent end-of-year concerts on stage at the Carpenter Theatre ❤️🎻🎺🥁

If you’re as excited for next season as we are, save the date: Our next Youth Orchestra Program performance will take place this fall on Sunday, November 9, 2025 at the Carpenter Theatre! All five ensembles will perform in this concert, featuring approximately 200 students ages 8–18.

Photos by Demetrius Holloway Photography (@whoisholloway).

@rvasymphony #RichmondSymphony #RichmondSymphonyYouthOrchestraProgram #YouthOrchestraProgram #YOP #RSYO #Flute #Oboe #Clarinet #Bassoon #Horn #Trumpet #Trombone #Tuba #Harp #Violin #Viola #Cello #DoubleBass #ClassicalMusic #MusicEducation #Richmond #RVA

Guests to the Richmond Symphony’s Annual Meeting at Hardywood this week were treated to a performance by our very own tubist Isaiah Coles, a 2025 graduate of our Youth Orchestra Program! Isaiah performed a J.S. Bach minuet for solo cello arranged for tuba and participated in a brief Q&A session with Dr. Julie Bemis, our Vice President of Education and Community Engagement, for an audience of Richmond Symphony staff, musicians, Board members, and Foundation members.

Before his recent graduation from New Kent High School, Isaiah was a valued member of the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra for three years, performing works such as Saint-Saëns’s Danse bacchanale, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, and Brahms’s Academic Festival Overture. Isaiah also participated in our Honors seminar and was selected as the only tuba player in the All-Virginia Orchestra multiple times—meaning he is the number one ranked tuba in the state! This fall, he’ll be attending Virginia Commonwealth University for a degree in music performance, studying with Jeff Hudson. Thank you for your beautiful performance this week and for a great three years in YOP, Isaiah—you will be greatly missed next season! 💫🎶

@rvasymphony @vcuartsmusic @virginiamusiceducators #RichmondSymphony #YouthOrchestraProgram #YouthOrchestra #Tuba #Brass #RichmondVA #RVA #Graduate #MusicEducation #ClassicalMusic