Students hoping to join the Powers Youth Orchestra for the 2022-2023 season will audition either in-person, or by submitting an audition video on a rolling basis. See all audition details below!
Watch a Q&A with Conductors Job Salazar Fonseca and Noah Dresser here!
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The Powers Youth Orchestra (formerly the Massachusetts Youth Symphony Project) was founded in 2013 to help students build skills in both musicianship and leadership – to be their very best selves onstage and offstage.
Different from more competitive local orchestras, the PYO string, advanced string, and chamber ensembles are kept small so each student shines. We ask our orchestra students to aim for a higher level of growth and mastery and to really “own” their parts. No one gets lost in the shuffle!
Our conductors focus on building character, leadership, and teamwork in addition to the musical skills necessary for performing standard orchestral works at the highest caliber. Each season, we explore a wide array of music from Baroque, Classical, and Romantic to Contemporary and Popular styles. Students will also learn good rehearsal etiquette and the communicative and interpersonal skills vital to becoming leaders in the classroom, the rehearsal room, and beyond.
Individual attention from conductors and a challenging yet nurturing environment make the Powers Youth Orchestra a unique and unforgettable experience for young musicians.
Rehearsals and Performances
Weekly Saturday rehearsals begin in September and continue until the final concert in May.
The Powers Youth Orchestra performs twice each year – once in the fall semester and a final spring concert in May. The spring concert also features some of Powers’ advanced chamber ensembles.
In past years the orchestras have appeared in concert venues at Cary Hall in Lexington, Arlington Town Hall, the Fenn School, Regis College Fine Arts Center, The Sorenson Center for the Arts at Babson College, and The 51 Walden Performing Arts Center in Concord.
PYO Chamber
Conductor: Job Salazar Fonseca
Suggested ages 12-18
A 25-30 member ensemble of strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion
Explore chamber orchestra masterworks of the late 18th century through more recent works written by contemporary composers.
Past repertoire examples include:
- Overture to Le Nozze di Figaro by W.A. Mozart
- Symphony No 94 “The Surprise” by F.J. Haydn
- Libertango by Astor Piazzolla
- Symphony No. 3 “Eroica” by L.v Beethoven
PYO Advanced String
Conductor: Noah Dresser
Suggested ages 9-13
Improve basic fundamental skills of string playing and acquire new skills such as 3rd position, martele, spiccato, and sight-reading in a creative and participatory environment. Advanced string members act as mentors for the String Orchestra, practicing both with the PYO String ensemble and as their own ensemble for an additional 30 minutes each week.
Recent repertoire includes:
- Appalachian Suite by Douglas Wagner
- Musette and Minuet by J.S. Bach
- “Nimrod” from Variations on an Original Theme by Edward Elgar
- “Main Title” from Star Wars by John Williams
PYO String
Conductor: Noah Dresser
Suggested ages 7-11
A beginner string ensemble open to those with limited or no orchestra experience.
Improve essential large ensemble skills like following a conductor, music reading, rhythm development, and musical interpretation. The skills learned in this class will prepare students for entrance into the next level of the Powers Youth Orchestra.
Watch the PYO String students perform their Fall 2020 winter concert!
Placement Auditions for the 2022-2023 Season!
Auditions for the Powers Youth Orchestra are in-person and ongoing by video submission. Current orchestra students planning to continue in the same level need not audition again.
Wondering if your child or student should audition?
2020-2021 PYO students share their favorite parts of orchestra, what they’ve learned, and their advice if you’re on the fence.
Watch the videos here!
Audition Dates / Options:
- Online (submit a YouTube video)
- Specific dates for the 2023-2024 season will be posted later this spring!
Audition process for new orchestra students:
Please read our audition requirements below to prepare for your audition. Submit an audition form here. If you are auditioning online, please be sure to include a link to your audition video on YouTube:
Once we have received your audition form, a staff member will contact you to notify you about your audition time (if in-person) or about acceptance and placement (if auditioning online).
Video Audition Requirements:
Audition video for String and Advanced String Orchestras
- Two major scales, one octave
- One piece of music the student has recently studied
Audition video for Chamber Orchestra
- Two major scales, two octaves
- Two brief contrasting musical excerpts. One lyrical/slower, and one faster/more technical. The selections can be studies, sonatas, concertos, orchestral excerpts, etc.
Onsite Audition Requirements:
PYO String / PYO Advanced String:
- Must be able to read music and have been playing for at least one year (typically studying at a level equivalent to Suzuki Book 3 or higher)
- One 2-octave scale of your choice
- Two contrasting pieces of your choice
- Sight-reading
PYO Chamber:
Strings
- All 3-octave major scales through 4 sharps and 4 flats
- One 3-octave minor scale of your choice
- Two contrasting solo pieces of your choice: One should be fast and technical. The other should be slow and lyrical. The pieces can be two movements from the same concerto or sonata, or they can be two entirely different pieces. Your solo selections should demonstrate your highest technical skills and knowledge of style, including shifting, articulation, and expression.
- Sight-reading
Woodwinds / Brass
- All major scales through 4 sharps and 4 flats (1 or 2 octaves, depending on applicant’s range)
- One minor scale of your choice (1 or 2 octaves, depending on applicant’s range)
- Two contrasting solo pieces of your choice: One should be fast and technical. The other should be slow and lyrical. The pieces can be two movements from the same concerto or sonata, or they can be two entirely different pieces. Your solo selections should demonstrate your highest technical skills and knowledge of style, including shifting, articulation, and expression.
- Sight-reading
Percussion
- One solo piece on mallets
- One solo piece on timpani (drums are provided for audition)
Registration for accepted & continuing orchestra students
Use the class registration buttons below to access ASAP, our online registration site (you will be asked to create an account) and register for the appropriate orchestra group. Your payment will include the $20 fall or spring registration fee and full tuition for the Powers Youth Orchestra program, unless a payment plan has been arranged.
Have you received financial aid, a payment plan, or a merit scholarship? Please call the Registrar to make sure we have correctly processed your registration and any applicable changes in tuition.