Shenandoah Valley Youth Symphony & Sinfonia Strings

Mission Statement:

Shenandoah Valley Youth Ensembles provide a home to learn and grow together through friendship, music and creativity. Musicians learn to develop a confident voice in performance and audience engagement. Ensembles meet for weekly rehearsals to hone repertoire and present concerts with educational outreach.

The 2023-2024 season theme is “Creating Harmony Together” with a focus on how we join forces to make meaningful music.

About the Youth Symphony

The Shenandoah Valley Youth Symphony, conducted by Dr. Yi-Ping Chen, provides a unique, high-level orchestral experience for advanced wind, brass, strings, and percussion students of the greater central Shenandoah Valley area.

The purpose of the Youth Symphony is:

to experience a broad range of symphonic literature
to broaden training in an orchestral setting
to experience a high level of music-making
to express individual creativity through concerto performances and performances of student compositions
to provide an orchestral forum not otherwise available for most wind and percussion players

2023-24 Season:

Fall 2023 rehearsals begin on Sunday, September 17, 2023. The rehearsals for the symphony will run from 2-4:10pm

Fall Rehearsals 2023: Sept. 17 & 24, Oct. 1,8,15,22 and Nov. 5,&12
- Oct. 29 (1:30-3pm Dress Rehearsal; 3:15pm Concert)
- Nov. 19 (1:30-3pm Dress Rehearsal; 4-5:30pm Concert)

Fall Concerts 2023:

Spring Rehearsals 2023: Jan. 28, Feb. 4,11,18, & 26, and Mar. 3, & 10
- March 17 (1:30-3pm Dress Rehearsal; 4pm Concert)

Spring Concert 2023:

Audition Information

Admission to the Youth Symphony is by audition only. Auditions will be held September 3 & 10 from 1-2pm.

To schedule your audition, please call 540-432-4650, or email erin.weldon@emu.edu. Auditions will be held in EMU's Lehman Auditorium.

Audition Requirements

Play one prepared piece (3-4 minutes) without accompaniment (SRO excerpts are fine)
2 or 3-octave scale, your choice
Sight reading

Tution & Registration

$275 for the 2023-24 season needs to be paid by October 31, 2023
$50 non-refundable registration fee

How to Register

For returning Youth Symphony instrumentalists you can register here

About Sinfonia Strings

This is an emerging string ensemble directed by Angela Sulzer that welcomes 7-14yr. old violin, viola, cello and double bass players who are playing as an advanced beginner to an intermediate-level. Students will develop their orchestral skills and demonstrate proficiency in reading music.

2023-24 Season:

Fall 2023 rehearsals begin on Sunday, September 17, 2023. The rehearsals for the symphony will run from 2:30-4pm

Fall Rehearsals 2023: Sept. 17 & 24, Oct. 1,8,15,22 and Nov. 5,&12
Spring Rehearsals 2023: Jan. 28, Feb. 4,11,18, & 26, and Mar. 3, & 10
- March 17 (1:30-3pm Dress Rehearsal; 4pm Concert)

Spring Concert 2023:

How to Join

This is a non-auditioned ensemble, but we do require your child to come on either Sept. 3 or 10 to assess where their seat placement will be in the group.

Please contact Erin Weldon at 540-432-4650 or at erin.weldon@emu.edu to schedule a time!

Tuition & Registration

$180 for the 2023-24 season needs to be paid by October 31, 2023
$50 non-refundable registration fee

How to Register

Scholarship Opportunities

Fellowship Program:
In 2014, the Youth Symphony Fellowship Program was established through the generous donations of Bibb and Dolly Frazier. The Fellowship Program supports students who play at a high level and are committed to the Symphony through scholarship money for private lessons and tuition for the Symphony. Priority is given to instrumentalists needed to maintain a solid orchestra. Please consider joining Debbie Warnaar and Brian Bauer in making a donation to ensure that the Fellowship Program continues.

There are two types of Fellowships: partial (covers Youth Symphony tuition) and full (covers Youth Symphony tuition and assistance with private lesson expenses). In order to be considered for a Fellowship award, you must:

Submit a recommendation letter from your private teacher (email is fine) prior to your audition to our director, Kimberly Souther, kimberly.souther@emu.edu.
Commit to the entire season
Audition by September 2023 (scale of your choice, prepared piece of your choice, sight-reading)
Be an ambassador for the Youth Symphony at your school (promoting auditions and concerts)
Assist the conductor or program director with duties that are decided after the auditions.

If you would like to help this important scholarship program continue in the future, you can make a tax-deductible Online Donation, or contact Kimberly Souther for more details.