Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra
Elisha Wells, MSYO music director
Join the next generation of fine-tuned talent!
MSYO Audition Information for the 2026/27 Season coming soon!
REHEARSALS:
Rehearsals are on Wednesdays from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
Founded in 1976, the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO) serves over 100 young musicians and their families from more than 40 public and private schools in the Central Valley.
Led by a deeply engaged leadership team, the youth orchestra attracts a diverse group of outstanding musicians. Members are presented with the opportunity to share their gift of music in an inspiring and challenging orchestral setting alongside their peers from all social, economic, cultural, and geographical backgrounds. As a program within the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association, members also have the invaluable experience of interacting with our professional musicians, conductors, and visiting guest artists through workshops, side-by-side performances, and clinics.
About the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra
The MSYO serves students of varying skill levels and is made up of
two full-orchestra (strings, winds, and percussion) groups:
MSYO Concert Orchestra
(Grades 5 to 9)
Stephanie Rawls, conductor
MSYO Symphony Orchestra
(Grades 9 to 12)
Elisha Wells, conductor
Both ensembles perform a three-concert series at the Gallo Center for the Arts throughout the season. In addition to the Gallo concerts, both orchestras also perform in and around the region. The MSYO Concert Orchestra has toured San Francisco, Sacramento, and the Central Valley. Each spring the Concert Orchestra tours through local elementary schools, providing free performances and advocating for the importance of music education. The MSYO Symphony Orchestra has also performed throughout the United States and world, including performances in England, France, Japan, Eastern Europe, Canada, and China. The Symphony Orchestra has previously partnered with the Napa Valley Youth Symphony to perform in the 2012 Mahler Festival in Vienna and for the 2014 New York Phil Young Composers workshop, where they performed at Carnegie Hall and in Central Park.
Conductors and Coaches
Chamber Ensembles
In addition to offering full orchestra experiences for middle school and high school students, the MSYO Chamber Ensembles Program will offer students who are aspiring to achieve a more demanding level of music excellence, an elevated and more challenging musical repertoire and small ensemble experience.
These groups will serve as showcase groups for the MSYO, and will be utilized for community outreach, MSO events, fundraisers, and numerous other performing opportunities.
Upcoming MSYO Concerts
-
Carmina Burana
featuring members of MSYO performing Glinka’s Ruslan & Ludmilla Overture side-by-side with MSO
-
MSYO Season Finale Concert
featuring MSYO Annual Concerto Competition Winner Peter Buie
Frequently Asked Questions
-
The MSYO provides young talented musicians with the unique opportunity and experience of playing in a full symphony orchestra ensemble with strings, winds, brass and percussion. This is a place where music students are surrounded by like-minded individuals from all over the region who enjoy making music together. Young musicians have the opportunity to work with experienced music educators, coaches and talented conductors.
-
Auditions are open to all traditional orchestra instruments in the sections of Strings, Woodwinds, Brass and Percussion. This includes flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, all percussion, violin, viola, cello, and string bass.
-
The MSYO does not currently offer an ensemble for those just starting on a instrument. We recommend students take lessons with a private instructor for a minimum of 1 year or be in their music school program for 2-3 years before considering joining MSYO. Ensemble experience is recommended but not required.
-
MSYO auditions are held in May prior to the start of the following new concert season. For more audition information, current audition dates, or to register for an audition visit the MSYO audition page or contact us by email. August audition dates are added only as needed to fill available seats at the discretion of the Music Director.
-
The MSYO’s two ensembles are arranged by student’s age and experience. The Concert orchestra is a preparatory group that works on building a musical foundation through classical pieces that are arranged for younger musicians. The Symphony Orchestra is a more advanced group that focuses on performing original classical repertoire at a professional level.
Concert Orchestra (grades 5-9) Intermediate Level.
Symphony Orchestra (grades 9-12) Advanced Level.
-
After the May auditions, additional auditions may be scheduled throughout the MSYO season at the discretion of the Music Director. Mid-season auditions will only be for open seats. Please see the MSYO audition page for an updated list of openings.
-
Movement from Concert Orchestra to Symphony Orchestra is based on the results of the audition held each spring. Students must demonstrate a high level of technical expertise in this audition and students in 9th and 10th grade may be asked to continue another year in Concert Orchestra. It is not unusual for a student to audition multiple times before acceptance and you are encouraged to ask for feedback from your audition to understand the areas in which you need to work.
-
MSYO is a season-long commitment. Consistent attendance and preparation at rehearsals is essential to performance quality, educational value, morale of the ensemble, and retention of membership. Please see the member handbook for more detailed information on MSYO requirements.
-
MSYO requires 2 hours of rehearsal weekly, plus workshops, concerts, and dress rehearsals throughout the season. In addition, students are expected to practice their music outside of the rehearsal between three to six hours a week depending on what is needed to prepare passages for performance.
-
Sports and MSYO do not have to be mutually exclusive. If games and practices conflict with MSYO rehearsals, you’ll have to talk to your conductor ahead of time about whether it is possible to contribute adequately to both groups. Most sports only conflict with part of the MSYO season, so it is possible to participate in some, but not all, of the concerts throughout the year.
If you have questions, please email:
msyo@modestosymphony.org