orchestras & Programs
Utah Youth Philharmonic
Utah Youth Philharmonic
Ages: 13-21 years old
Level: Advanced
Rehearsal Time: Fridays 4:00-6:30
Rehearsal Location: David Gardner Hall, 1375 President’s Circle, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Tuition: $600/year*
*Tuition Assistance is Available
The Utah Youth Philharmonic was created in 2008 in order to be as inclusive as possible and offer the Utah Youth Symphony experience to more youth musicians than ever before. Music Director Barbara Scowcroft determined that the UYPhil would be a natural response to an ever-increasing number of musicians auditioning for our original high school orchestra.
Led by Music Director and professional Conductor, Barbara Scowcroft, UYPhil challenges our students with unparalleled opportunities to perform a myriad of highly advanced, unedited classical literature at the highest level in Utah’s finest concert venues. Numerous sectional instructional sessions are conducted with very low student:teacher ratios by some of our area’s finest musicians, including musicians from the Utah Symphony, U of U School of Music, UVU School of Music, Ballet West, and other top-tier music instructors in our area.
UYPhil provides exceptional preparation for highly-committed youth musicians expecting to major in music, enter the music profession, or to enjoy music as a life-long avocation. Musicians accepted to UYPhil generally have several years of ensemble experience, ideally with the Utah Youth Junior Symphony Orchestra, are expected to be members of their school bands or orchestras, study their instruments with private teachers, and perform individually at the pre-collegiate or collegiate level.
We strongly encourage our musicians’ participation in their high school band or orchestra for the exceptional benefits to youth musicians and UYPhil. In turn, the UYPhil experience enhances high school bands and orchestras. In addition, UYPhil offers our students the emotionally, socially, artistically, and intellectually-supportive, nurturing environment of our 200+ UYS youth musicians and professionals.
Utah Youth Symphony
The Utah Youth Symphony Orchestra, our original orchestra, was founded in 1957 at the University of Utah, and has been in residence there ever since. With approximately 100 musicians, Utah Youth Symphony Orchestra is the size of a professional orchestra and is one of two high school orchestras within UYS. Led by Music Director and Conductor, Barbara Scowcroft, UYSO challenges our students with unparalleled opportunities to perform a myriad of highly advanced, unedited classical literature at the highest level in Utah’s finest concert venues.
Numerous sectional instructional sessions are conducted with very low student:teacher ratios by some of our area’s finest musicians, including musicians from the Utah Symphony, U of U School of Music, BYU School of Music, Weber State School of Music, UVU School of Music, Ballet West, and other top-tier music instructors in our area.
UYSO provides exceptional preparation for highly-committed youth musicians expecting to major in music, enter the music profession, or to enjoy music as a life-long avocation. Musicians accepted to UYSO generally have several years of ensemble experience, ideally with the Utah Youth Junior Symphony Orchestra, are expected to be members of their school bands or orchestras, study their instruments with private teachers, and perform individually at the pre-collegiate or collegiate level.
We strongly encourage our musicians’ participation in their high school band or orchestra for the exceptional benefits to youth musicians and UYSO. In turn, the UYSO experience enhances high school bands and orchestras. In addition, UYSO offers our students the emotionally, socially, artistically, and intellectually-supportive, nurturing environment of our 200+ UYS youth musicians and professionals.
Utah Youth Symphony
Ages: 13-21 years old
Level: Advanced
Rehearsal Time: Saturdays 9:00-11:30
Rehearsal Location: David Gardner Hall, 1375 President’s Circle, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Tuition: $600/year*
*Tuition Assistance is Available
Utah Youth Junior Symphony
Utah Youth Junior Symphony
Ages: 8+ years old
Level: Intermediate
Rehearsal Time: Saturdays 9:00-10:30
Rehearsal Location: University Fine Arts West, 274 University Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
Tuition: $350/year*
*Tuition Assistance is Available
The Utah Youth Junior Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Dan Rich, provides a comprehensive ensemble experience for intermediate symphony players. Musicians accepted to UYJSO generally have intermediate experience with their instruments and must be members of their school bands or orchestras (where available) and study their instruments with private teachers.
Literature is selected to broaden repertoire and learn more advanced techniques while following a conductor. A heavy emphasis is placed on sight-reading, enabling members to experience a large volume of repertoire while learning to follow a conductor. Student musicians learn listening to and understanding the different sounds and colors of each instrument, as well as how the colors of their own instruments fit together in the whole and how to foster ensemble musicianship. Orchestral intonation is also covered. Students learn to work through difficult passages and deal with challenges specific to their instruments.
Join Us!
If you are interested in participating in any of our orchestras, please submit an audition recording!
Young Composers Program
The Utah Young Composers Project is a composition program for young composers interested in writing new music for orchestra. This program is the first of its kind in Utah and is open to any students under the age of 18 that currently reside in Utah and are simply interested in composing original music for orchestra. There is no experience necessary and every composer has the opportunity to have their music played by the Utah Youth Orchestras. Additionally, students are encouraged to write music in any style they would like. There are no restrictions on the kind of music you can write in this program. Pop, jazz, classical style symphonies, and all other genres of music are welcome here as long as the music is written in a way that the orchestras are able to perform the piece.
If composing music feels too daunting, then feel free to audit the program and attend our workshops either as an introduction to composing music or simply to enrich your understanding of concert music compositions.
Participants of the program attend workshops that tackle the creative, aesthetic, and practical issues of writing original compositions for full orchestra and occasionally feature established local or visiting guest composers that share their thoughts on writing music and experience with participants. Composers in this program have won many composition awards and accolades and graduates of this program have gone on to study music or composition at higher education institutions such as Curtis Institute of Music, Berklee School of Music, the University of Utah, and other prestigious institutions.
As always, the Utah Youth Orchestras will read and record selected original compositions made by attendees of Utah Young Composers Project! We will also be performing as many compositions as possible at the Utah Arts Festival in June. This year, we are also going to be studying and analyzing works that the orchestra is performing during the season in our workshops.
In order to be as inclusive as possible, the Young Composers Project is offered free of charge by UYS. For more information please email Devin at youngcomposers@uyoe.org.
Dates and times of workshops and readings will be announced in the Fall.