Volunteer with Youth Community Strings

POV: You and your teacher just finished playing together on stage in our first Richmond Symphony and Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra side-by-side since February 2020—and for an audience of over two thousand! 🌟

At the Richmond Symphony’s Big Tent concert this past weekend, RSYO students took the stage with Symphony musicians for a 45-minute set featuring selections by Tchaikovsky, Tate, and Forsyth. Students of every section played alongside Richmond Symphony musicians, including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Some students even sat alongside their current teachers! Following the first half of the performance, RSYO returned to the audience to enjoy the rest of the evening.

If you haven’t already heard, we have great news: We are thrilled to announce that in February 2026, RSYO and the Richmond Symphony will come together for a full side-by-side in Carpenter Theatre! This performance will feature full orchestral masterworks played by students and professionals, presented on stage at the Dominion Energy Center—the very theatre where the Richmond Symphony performs on a regular basis.

As the 2025–26 season approaches, we still have space for you to join us on stage! If you still haven’t signed up for your RSYO audition, it’s not too late—visit the link in our bio to submit your virtual audition by the end of the day on Sunday, June 1.

📸 Photos submitted by RSYO double bassist Peter Y., Richmond Symphony double bassist Matt Gold, and @rso_musicians

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Spring concert photo dump 📸🎶 Congratulations to all YOP students who performed in our end-of-season concerts at Carpenter Theatre! Highlights included the world premiere of a work by Richmond Symphony Composer-in-Residence Damien Geter, two concertos performed, a guest performance by Youth Community Strings, 27 graduating seniors honored, and nearly 200 student performers!

We’re gearing up for an exciting 2025–26 season, and we want YOU to be part of it! Whether you’re team strings, woodwinds, brass, or percussion, there’s a space for you among our five ensembles! 🎻🎺🥁🎶

This June is your chance to audition for our intermediate string orchestra, our two full orchestras, and our Percussion Ensemble. In-person audition registration is now closed, but virtual audition registration will remain open until the end of the day on Sunday, June 1, when all submissions are due. Visit the link in our bio to sign up for your audition today! Auditions are not required for our entry-level string ensemble, String Sinfonietta; for more information, visit the interest form linked in our bio.

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Celebrate Memorial Day with Camerata Strings, the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra, and the full Richmond Symphony as part of our annual Big Tent performance! 🎪🎶🌈🎻🎺

First, Camerata Strings and conductor Melissa Jones take the stage, performing a commissioned work by Richmond Symphony Conductor-in-Residence Damien Geter. Then, the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra (RSYO) and the Richmond Symphony come together for a side-by-side performance conducted by Hae Lee, performing works by Tate, Tchaikovsky, and more! We will also feature violist Joe Legutko, winner of the 2024–25 RSYO Concerto Competition, who will perform the first movement of Forsyth’s Viola Concerto in G minor.

Big Tent
Saturday, May 24, 2025 | 6:00 pm
Chimborazo Park
3215 E Broad St, Richmond, VA 23223

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Calling all harp fans! Graduating senior Sylvie Dow will perform Grandjany’s Aria in Classic Style with the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra at our end-of-season concert TONIGHT on Sunday, May 18 at 7:00pm. 🌟 RSYO will also perform Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 and the first movement of Forsyth’s Viola Concerto in G minor, with junior Joe Legutko as soloist.

Sunday, May 18 at 7:00pm
Carpenter Theatre at the Dominion Energy Center
Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra and Percussion Ensemble
Admission is free; no ticket required

This June is your chance to audition for our five YOP ensembles—our two string orchestras, our two full orchestras, and our Percussion Ensemble. Auditions for students ages 8–21 will take place in person or virtually in early June. For more information and to sign up for your audition, visit the link in our bio today!

Photo by Dave Parrish (@rvaphotog).

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We are proud to share that TEN of our Youth Orchestra Program students were accepted into All-Virginia Band, Chorus, and Orchestra this year! Congratulations are in order for the following students:

Isaiah Coles, RSYO tuba
Sylvie Dow, RSYO harp
Hayley Dunn, RSYO violin
Nisarg Shah, RSYO violin
Audrey Tang, YCO clarinet
Trip Taylor, RSYO clarinet
Fielding Teague, RSYO violin
Peize Wang, RSYO clarinet
Peter Yanovitch, RSYO double bass
Annie Yuan, RSYO violin

Qualifying for All-Virginia Band, Chorus, and Orchestra is not an easy task. To participate in All-Virginia, students must first audition for and be placed into both their district and regional orchestra, band, or chorus. Students who place into both of those ensembles are then eligible to audition for the All-Virginia event in April, competing against students from across the state for a limited number of seats. Students who successfully audition for this event represent the highest caliber of playing among high school musicians in Virginia. This level of accomplishment is not possible without years of practice, dedication, and support from students’ school and private music teachers. 

Congratulations to Isaiah, Sylvie, Hayley, Nisarg, Audrey, Trip, Fielding, Peize, Peter, and Annie for their musical achievements! We are so proud of our young musicians and grateful to have them as members of our Youth Orchestra Program.

@nkcps @henricocountyschools @drhsmusic @deep_run_trim @mlwgsorch @cougarsinthearts @rvasymphony #RichmondSymphonyYouthOrchestraProgram #YouthOrchestraProgram #Orchestra #Band #AllVA #Clarinet #Tuba #Violin #DoubleBass #Harp