Waco Symphony Youth Orchestra
Celebrating 60 Years

Waco Symphony Youth Orchestra

Celebrating the 31st Anniversary Season

Waco Symphony Youth Orchestra.

The Waco Symphony Youth Orchestra, now celebrating its 31st Concert Season, is comprised of approximately 50 students from all over Central Texas. Acceptance is by audition and all area music students are encouraged to audition. Area music students must participate in their school band or orchestra program in order to play in the Waco Symphony Youth Orchestra. The WSYO is open to middle school and high school players, although talented young players are welcome to audition as well.

2022-2023 WSYO CONCERT SEASON

FALL CONCERT

Sunday, October 30, 2022, 6:30 p.m.
Midway High School Theater
Gordon Jacob: Concerto for Horn and Strings (Jacob Wiley, soloist)
Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”
Free Admission

SPRING CONCERT

Sunday, February 26, 2023, 6:30 p.m.
Midway High School Theater
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto, movement 1 (Alanna Schubert, soloist)
Bizet: Carmen, Excerpts from Suite Nos. 1 & 2
Free Admission

The mission of the WSYO is to provide a venue for Central Texas student musicians to form a quality orchestra, in order to study, rehearse, perform and appreciate orchestral music under professional guidance.

The WSYO is conducted by Dr. Beau Benson, Director of Orchestras at Midway High School and Music Director and Conductor, Oregon East Symphony and Chorale.

The orchestra performs two concerts a year, one in the fall and one in the spring.

The WSYO holds a Concerto Competition each fall for the following spring. The winner receives a full WSYO tuition scholarship for the following year, as well as a solo performance in the next Spring Concert.

For additional information about the Waco Symphony Youth Orchestra, contact Gina Gravagne, WSYO Administrator, at 254-447-3861 or gina.gravagne@gmail.com.

Auditions

WSYO auditions and concerto competition for 2022-2023 will be held on Sunday, August 28, in the Midway High School Orchestra Room. Midway HS is located at 8200 Mars Drive, Waco, TX 76712.

(The roads around the school are currently under construction. Please plan accordingly in case your anticipated route is blocked.)

Returning members of the string section need not audition. Simply fill out the registration form in the links below and pay your tuition.

All woodwind, brass, and percussion students as well as students wishing to join WSYO for the first time are to fill out the registration form and sign up for an audition time via the links below.

Students should be prepared to play two scales of their choosing as well as a solo that shows their current level of technical and musical proficiency.

Concerto Competition

The Young Artist Concerto Competition is open to high school juniors and seniors who have not previously won the competition. Students wishing to enter the competition must sign up for a time slot of 4:00 p.m. or later on the form below. Please make sure to include the composer and title of your concerto. Piano accompaniment is not required for the competition. If you are competing in the concerto competition, you do not need to sign up for a separate audition time for the orchestra—your concerto competition performance will serve as your audition.

Audition Registration

Audition Time Sign-Up

Pay Tuition Here

Please contact Gina Gravagne with any questions: gina.gravagne@gmail.com or 254-447-3861.

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