Adelaide Youth Orchestras

12/08/2026

"I made good friends and connections through AdYO that I never would have otherwise."

When John Salamon joined Adelaide Youth Strings in 2004, he was a shy young violinist who simply loved making music.

Over the next decade, AdYO helped him grow in confidence, challenged him to step outside his comfort zone, and introduced him to lifelong friendships and opportunities that continue to shape his life today.

Now a bioinformatician at the South Australian Genomics Centre (SAHMRI), John believes the teamwork, resilience and communication he developed in orchestra are just as valuable in science as they are in music.

"I've learned to almost enjoy that feeling of anxiety before a performance—and that carries over into things in my professional life, like giving presentations."

As part of our 25 Stories for 25 Years series, John's story is a reminder that AdYO isn't just about developing musicians. It's about helping young people discover confidence, build friendships and realise what they're capable of—wherever life takes them.

Read more about how John found confidence through community via the link below.

Were you part of AdYO? We'd love to hear your story as we celebrate 25 years. DM us!

07/08/2026

Thank you Play & Go Adelaide 😊

04/08/2026

What happens when South Australia’s leading building company joins forces with its leading creative agency and its leading youth orchestra? Something pretty special…

We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with Stratco on this beautiful new campaign, produced by the wonderful teams at NATION and Passel Media in the Southern Flinders Ranges.

If you’ve been watching television lately, you might have spotted some familiar AdYO faces!

Thank you Stratco, for your belief in young people, your commitment to youth arts, and for giving our musicians the opportunity to shine on a national stage. Partnerships like this make a real difference to the lives of young artists.

The Block

04/07/2026

❤️ 🎺 🎷 🥁 Thank you, Mid North and Southern Flinders communities!

This week, AdYO returned from another incredible tour through Crystal Brook, Laura, Port Pirie, Orroroo, Quorn and Booleroo Centre, connecting with students from across the region, including Hawker, Wilmington and Melrose.

For more than five years, we've been privileged to visit these communities, building relationships through music and creating opportunities for young people to learn from one another. Every year we're reminded just how special these connections are!

For the students we met, we hope our performances and workshops inspired a love of music and creativity. For our AdYO musicians, these tours are an opportunity to share their passion, experience regional South Australia, and build meaningful connections with communities beyond Adelaide.

A huge thank you to our new Artistic Director, lloydvanthoff, for joining us on tour, to AdYO Conductor Kate Mawson, for her outstanding leadership and guidance, and to AdYO musician and intern charliemakaev_ for the enormous amount of work that went into making the tour a success.

Most importantly, thank you to the teachers, students, families, and communities who welcomed us so generously. Your support, enthusiasm and hospitality make these tours possible and remind us why regional engagement remains such an important part of what we do.

We leave with wonderful memories, new friendships, and a renewed appreciation for the power of music to bring people together. ❤️

This tour is made possible through our partnership with the Department for Education, South Australia and the support of our generous donors and supporters.

01/07/2026

We're proud to be a member of the Australian Network of Youth Orchestras (ANYO).

ANYO has launched its new LinkedIn page, bringing together youth orchestra organisations from across Australia to celebrate, connect and advocate for the future of youth music.

If you'd like to follow the national conversation about youth orchestras, music education and young musicians, we'd love you to follow their page. https://www.linkedin.com/company/australian-network-of-youth-orchestras

01/07/2026

A joyful day of music, stories and imagination with A Little Mischief Music. 🦄🎶

Back in April, AdYO's Junior Strings and Wind Ensemble delighted audiences of all ages with a colourful program inspired by fairy tales, bustling zoos, underwater adventures and plenty of unexpected surprises. Led by Martin Butler OAM and Sarah Byron, with engaging story readings from the team at Marion Libraries, the concert celebrated the magic of music and storytelling.

From smiling faces to lively performances, A Little Mischief Music was a wonderful celebration of curiosity, creativity and the joy of making music together.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special family concert. ✨

📸 Swipe through some of our favourite moments from the day.

01/07/2026

12/06/2026

Sami’s story shines through his accomplished musical career, which continues to grow as he confidently leads AdYO’s percussion ensemble as its conductor. With a world of inspiring musical influences surrounding him, Sami took up the violin at a very early age through Adelaide Youth Orchestras' Junior Strings program. He expresses gratitude to Amanda Grigg, Rebecca Lagos, Timothy Constable, Mark Robinson, Rick Miller, and Roger Benedict . He now enjoys a career as the Associate Principal Percussionist and Timpanist of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.

Read Sami's full story via the link below.

10/06/2026

Yesterday, AdYO string players had the privilege of performing at the Australian of the Year Awards Breakfast. 🇦🇺🎶

It was a wonderful opportunity to contribute to an event celebrating leadership, service and achievement within the Australian community, while showcasing the talent and dedication of Adelaide Youth Orchestras' young musicians.

Congratulations to 2026 Australian of the Year, Katharine Bennell-Pegg and 2026 Young South Australian of the Year, Chloe Wyatt-Jasper on their well-deserved recognition, and thank you to the Australia Day Council of South Australia for including AdYO as part of this special event.

📸 Highlights from the morning at Adelaide Convention Centre.