Youth Symphonies

Likely, if you take lessons regularly, your school orchestra is not giving you enough of a challenge. Joining a local youth symphony is a great place to practice your skills, learn more repertoire, and play large works you might not have been able to in school. Most people in their lifetime will never get the opportunity to play any of the great symphonic works. All organizations have multiple levels of orchestras. Oftentimes, the highest level youth symphonies are close to playing at an undergraduate level. These are great opportunities to meet new friends, some of whom you will see again should you study music after high school. The music world is tiny.

Spring is audition season for youth orchestras. Pick the one you like (or is closest to you) and prepare early! 

Short list of audition expectations: 

Scales

Prepared work or excerpts

Sight reading

Metro-Detroit Organizations

The following are some of the youth symphonies that I know of in the Metropolitan Detroit area. I have played with a couple while growing up. I will write about a few going in a sort of size order. Again, for any youth symphony, you can expect a high level of skill and musicality for the top orchestras. Application fees and tuition vary.

This is not an exhaustive list. MASTA has a full list here: MASTA Youth Orchestra Directory 

DSO Civic Youth Ensembles (CYE)

Website: Detroit Civic Youth Ensembles 

Hosted by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. For auditions, they send scale and excerpt requirements and have sight reading. Some standard orchestral excerpts will be used. CYE also has mentors who will help sections on occasion. Though we focus on classical music, CYE also has a jazz program. CYE also has chamber music programs for students interested in playing in small ensembles. I spent my later high school years in CYE, performing with the top group and playing in a piano quartet. Students will get to play on the same stage as the DSO. CYE rehearses and performs at Orchestra Hall in Detroit.

Detroit Metropolitan Youth Symphony (DMYS)

Website: https://www.detroitmys.org/ 

I knew them as MYS and they expanded the program a lot since my youth. This was the first youth symphony I participated in, mostly during middle school. DMYS is one of the larger organizations in the area. They have a rather rigorous and specific audition (check website for details). DMYS expects advanced beginners in their starting group. They have section coaches that will come in and help as well. Notably, they have an undergraduate scholarship program with Wayne State University. DMYS rehearses and performs at The Hawk Community Center in Farmington Hills.

Oakland Youth Orchestras (OYO)

Website: https://oyomi.org/ 

I had some classmates that participated in OYO. While the audition does not require scales, you should have a few minute piece prepared and expect sight-reading. OYO’s starting orchestra is aimed toward advanced beginners rather than total beginners. They have a chamber program and other opportunities like the concerto competition. OYO performs and rehearses at Oakland University in Rochester.

Dearborn Youth Symphony

Website: https://dearbornyouthsymphony.org/ 

Dearborn Symphony’s youth program, rehearses and performs at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn.

Michigan Philharmonic Youth Orchestra

Website: https://mpyo.org/ 

Michigan Philharmonic’s youth program, rehearses and performs in Plymouth/Canton.

Michigan Youth Symphony

Website: Michigan Youth Symphony 

University of Michigan, hosted in Ann Arbor. Close enough to metro-Detroit to just list it.