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Celebrating 800+ Young Musicians Across 11 Ensemble Divisions, New Community Partnerships, and a Special Program for America’s 250th!
The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute (PYOMI), one of the nation’s most respected youth orchestra organizations, proudly announces its 86th concert season, serving more than 800 young musicians across the Greater Philadelphia region. With expanded programming, new community partnerships, and concerts featuring a wide range of repertoire from classical masterworks to jazz, brass, symphonic band, and string orchestra, PYOMI continues its legacy of shaping the next generation of musicians and future leaders. Across its eleven program divisions, the Institute meets students where they are in their musical journey, from their very first orchestral experiences to advanced musical training, while fostering a supportive community where lifelong friendships take root.
The 2025–2026 season offers audiences more opportunities than ever to experience extraordinary music-making while celebrating the dedication and artistry of our community’s talented young performers. This year, PYOMI ensembles will appear not only in major venues such as the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Temple Performing Arts Center, but also in treasured cultural spaces through partnerships with the Barnes Foundation, the Please Touch Museum, and Chris’ Jazz Café.
Season Highlights
- Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) opens the season on November 23, 2025 with an all-Italian program featuring world-class soloists, alumni of Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts, a Spring Concert featuring violist Dillon Scott (PYO ‘22) presenting Bartók’s Viola Concerto and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2. The orchestra closes the season with a powerful American celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday, joined by the Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia for Randall Thompson’s The Testament of Freedom and Aaron Copland’s triumphant Symphony No. 3, alongside Schuman’s New England Triptych and Stravinsky’s arrangement of The Star-Spangled Banner.
- Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra (PYAO) showcases tomorrow’s artists with the annual Solo Competition and presents major works including Dvořák’s New World Symphony, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 3, and Holst’s The Planets.
- Young Musicians Debut Orchestra (YMDO) introduces students to Symphony Orchestras through regular sectional training and accessible repertoire to nurture discipline, musicianship, and community.
- Bravo Brass presents a program dedicated to enriching students’ brass skills by using audience-favorites from holiday film classics to Puccini’s Nessun Dorma, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 (The King’s Speech), and Rodgers’ The Sound of Music.
- Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra (PYJO) honors jazz legends with concerts featuring the music of Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane, including performances at Chris’ Jazz Café and the Please Touch Museum.
- Philadelphia Young Symphonic Band (PYSB) performs bold symphonic works for winds and percussion by Mackey, Barber, Persichetti, Galante, and more, culminating in a season finale performance with Philadelphia Wind Symphony and Philadelphia Youth Concert Band.
- Prysm Strings (Main Line & New Jersey) showcases beloved works from Grieg, Mozart, Brahms, Dvořák, and Florence Price, inspiring younger musicians at the start of their orchestral journeys.
- Philadelphia Youth Concert Band (PYCB) expands its presence with multiple concerts, including a Barnes Foundation performance as part of PECO Free First Sunday Family Day, and joins PYSB for their shared season finale, an inspiring collaboration across generations of young woodwind, brass, and percussion players.
- Tune Up Philly offers an accessible musical curriculum, bringing together students from our six site partners to create community through performance.
“Our 86th season is both a celebration of tradition and an exciting step forward,” said Louis Scaglione, President and Music Director of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute. “Through our expanded partnerships, inspiring repertoire, and special program honoring America’s 250th birthday, we are fortifying PYOMI’s heritage while engaging with our community in meaningful ways. At the center of it all are our students and music educators, who remind us daily that music builds not only skill and artistry, but also character, friendship, and a sense of belonging.”
