Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestras

01/22/2026

Due to the predicted severe weather conditions for Sunday, we regret to announce that the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra’s concert at the Davidson Theatre has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. The safety of our students, families, staff, and crew is our highest priority. If you purchased a ticket to this concert, you will receive a refund within 7 business days.

We thank you for your continued support of the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra!

Friday and Saturday's showings of Mozart's Requiem will be performed as planned.

01/21/2026

Please join us in congratulating Junior Strings conductor, Sara Given, for being named the 2025-2026 Ohio String Teachers Association School Teacher of the Year!

Congratulations to Sara Given, Orchestra Director at Hilliard Heritage Middle School, who has been named the 2025–26 Ohio String Teachers Association School Teacher of the Year!

Ms. Given will be recognized at the OMEA Conference later this month. Read more about her accomplishments and impact on music education below:
https://www.hilliardschools.org/heritage-orchestra-director-named-osta-teacher-of-the-year/

08/15/2025

Congratulations to the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra on being accepted to perform at the 2026 OMEA Professional Development Conference!

04/17/2025

There's still time - Apply Now!

Only one week left to apply to perform for our third and final Masterclass of the 2024-2025 Season featuring violinist Aubree Oliverson! There are still performer spots available, but the application deadline is Thursday, April 24!

columbussymphony.com/masterclass

03/28/2025

Our third and final Masterclass of the 2024-2025 Season featuring violinist Aubree Oliverson is coming up on May 15, and we are now accepting applications!

columbussymphony.com/masterclass

03/26/2025

Now accepting auditions for the 2025-2026 season!

The Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestras are committed to supporting the lives of young musicians and their families through professional and enriching rehearsals and performances. Membership in the CSYO is open to any talented young musicians in grades 3-12 who wish to make music with their peers. Each of our four ensembles has different Audition Requirements as part of the musical experience. To view each of the ensemble’s requirements, please see the audition booklet here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BEaNaY0IoE_vYFcmiqiBgPaUiJMDC4iU/view

Audition videos, fee, and applications are due by Monday, May 5 at 11:00PM.

For more information, visit columbussymphony.com/csyo

03/04/2025

Congratulations to the Youth Orchestra on their final performance of the 2024-2025 year! What an incredible performance of Shostakovich 5 by the combined CSYO and CSO. Bravo!

03/03/2025

Congratulations to our 2025 Young Musicians Competition Concerto Division Winner, Andrey Bakalov! Andrey’s virtuosic and impactful performance of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 1 in F-sharp minor won him the Lois H. Allen prize of $1,000 that was generously donated by the Friends of the Columbus Symphony, and he is invited to perform the concerto with the CSO as part of the 2025-2026 concert season. Congratulations again to Andrey for his achievement!

New for 2025: We would also like to recognize our two runners up, who will also receive cash prizes ($500 and $250) for their outstanding performances this weekend:

Oliver Martin for his performance of the Walton Viola Concerto
Tehya Hazelbaker for her performance of the Ginastera Harp Concerto

We also want to thank and congratulate everyone who participated in this year’s competition! Performers ranged from 3rd to 12th grade in age, and from first-time solo performers to seniors preparing for collegiate music study. Across the board, the caliber of musical performances was truly outstanding. It was inspiring to see so many talented students in the Columbus area perform so beautifully. We hope to see you again next year!

Thank you to our judges and Friends of the Columbus Symphony volunteers for making this event possible. We could not have done this without you!

01/10/2025

Calling all cellists! There is still time to apply for the Sterling Elliott masterclass!

Application Link: https://bit.ly/CSOMasterclass25

08/20/2024

We hope that everyone enjoyed their summer vacation and is ready for the 2024-2025 CSYO season to begin! Because rehearsals start this week, here are some upcoming concert dates you should mark on your calendars to help you prepare for the new season. We can’t wait to see everyone and for the inspiring rehearsals and concerts to start again this year!