Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra

The Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) is WYO's  top orchestra.  It is open to advanced students seeking challenging music and orchestral training.  WYSO performs one to two masterworks a semester by major composers in addition to smaller works and collaborations with other ensembles.  Open to advanced players, admission is through competitive audition with students being in 8th grade and above. Average size is 90 - 100 students, depending on repertoire.  WYSO string, wind, brass and percussion members also have the benefit of working with monthly coaches and mentors, learning further orchestral and instrumental technique.

The orchestra made its Carnegie Hall debut on Sunday, June 7th, 2026.

Recent Repertoire:

Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition (Spring 2026) - Carnegie Hall 
Bruckner: Te Deum (Spring 2026)
Mahler: Symphony No. 1 "Titan" (Spring 2025)
Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 (Fall 2024)
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (Spring 2024)
Price: Ethiopia's Shadow in America (Fall 2023)
Schubert: Symphony No. 9 "The Great" (Spring 2023)
Coleridge-Taylor: Ballade for Orchestra in a minor (Fall 2022)
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 (Spring 2022)
Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 "From The New World" (Fall 2021)
Saint-Saens: Symphony No.3 "Organ" (Winter 2020)
Gershwin: An American in Paris (Winter 2020)

WYSO has a major week long tour every other season. Previous tours included Northern New England & Canada in 2017, Czech Republic in 2019 and Germany/Austria in 2023, and Czech Republic & Slovakia in 2025. The orchestra will tour Great Britain in June 2027.
​
Director: Jonathan Colby, Music Director & Conductor 
Rehearsal Schedule
Every Sunday, 1:30pm to 5:00pm at Trinity Lutheran, Worcester

Concert Schedule
8-10 performances per season.  See Season Schedule for a complete listing of events.