Youth Orchestra

The North Arkansas Symphony Youth Orchestra program offers young musicians in Northwest Arkansas and the surrounding areas the opportunity to develop their musical interests and talents. As a member, you will have numerous opportunities to develop in an atmosphere of musical excellence that promotes learning, respect, and friendship.

We believe you will find the youth orchestra experience to be a rewarding and enjoyable experience musically, socially, emotionally and intellectually. Youth Orchestra offers students opportunities to broaden their repertoire by playing music of varied and differing styles and rehearsing together under inspiring leadership.

We use challenging musical curriculum and diverse musical experiences to develop teamwork, leadership, self-discipline, and organizational skills. We want students to experience the elements of a professional environment including competition, responsibility, and concert hall performances.

We seek to partner with school band and orchestra programs and private teachers, not to be a substitute for them, but to work along side as an enrichment experience. NASYO gives participants a chance to interact with students from all over our geographical area who share the same musical interest, and to develop many lasting friendships.

We are striving to develop symphony performers and audiences for the future, and we operate under the "umbrella" of the North Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and cooperate and collaborate in many ways. All of our qualified conductors and personnel have many years of teaching and performing experience.

Youth Orchestra is not merely a job to our faculty, but a passion we share with the students entrusted to us.

Youth Star is a string ensemble for students who are beginning their orchestra experience. Violin, viola, cello and string bass students who have studied privately or played in a school orchestra for at least one year may audition. The repertoire is suited to this level of experience and helps prepare students as they begin their musical journey. We are proud to welcome Stevie Sandven in her first year as conductor of this group.

Philharmonia Strings is an intermediate string orchestra that performs high quality classical music to further prepare young musicians. Instrumentation includes violin, viola, cello and string bass, and is comprised of students who have had private study and/or previous orchestral experience to achieve a higher level of proficiency on their instrument. Holly Smardo is the conductor.

Philharmonia Winds is a woodwind ensemble that includes flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and French horn and is under the direction of Dr. Theresa Delaplain. This group will rehearse and perform independently and also in conjunction with Philharmonia Strings. Members must have studied privately or played in a school band for at least one year.

Chamber Strings is an auditioned group from Philharmonia Strings and Youth Orchestra that performs before the North Arkansas Symphony Concerts and at other times during the year at community functions. C. Myron Flippin conducts this talented group.

Flute Choir is the newest group in our program. Dr. Ronda Mains, principal flutist with NASO and Flute Professor at the U of A, is the conductor with assistance from her graduate assistant, Nastassja Riley. Participants range in age and ability from Philharmonia Winds to graduate students at the U of A. This group will also be a performing group in the community and before North Arkansas Symphony Concerts.

The Youth Symphony is the premiere orchestra in our program. It is a full symphony orchestra complete with strings, winds, brass and percussion. It performs mostly original selections from standard orchestra repertoire under the baton C. Myron Flippin. Members participate in many exciting projects such as premiering new works of young composers, auditioning to perform as a soloist with the youth orchestra, participating in the annual Honors Recital, and in many cases, preparing themselves for a career as a professional musician.