QCSYE Ensembles
The Quad City Symphony Youth Ensembles (QCSYE) consists of four school-year orchestras for musicians of all ability levels, ages 7 to 18 (Grades 2-12). Below is a brief description of each ensemble with weekly rehearsal times (a season schedule is sent to all accepted students in June).
Recommendation: Discuss which ensemble your student should audition or apply for with their school music teacher or private lesson instructor. Please note that the listed playing experience and grade levels are recommendations.
YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Benjamin Firer, Interim Conductor
Youth Symphony Orchestra (YSO) is a full symphony orchestra comprised of nearly 90 members and is the premiere youth orchestra in the region. Members perform several times throughout the year in a variety of rewarding performance settings, including the Side-by-Side concert with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Mark Russell Smith, where they perform advanced orchestral repertoire.
YSO is primarily intended to serve students with ensemble experience of 4+ years for winds/percussion and 5+ years for strings (approximately grades nine through twelve). YSO generally rehearses on Sundays from 5:45 – 8:15 PM.
YOUTH PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
Benjamin Firer, Interim Conductor
Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (YPO) is an advanced orchestra whose members experience playing in a full orchestra with strings, winds, and percussion. The YPO performs original repertoire and challenging arrangements of great orchestral masterpieces.
YPO is primarily intended to serve students with ensemble experience of 3+ years for winds/percussion and 4+ years for strings (approximately grades eight through twelve). YPO generally rehearses on Sundays from 3:00 – 5:15 PM.
CONCERT ORCHESTRA
Michele Ottesen, Conductor
Concert Orchestra is a beginning orchestra whose members experience playing in a full orchestra with strings, winds, and percussion. The Concert Orchestra performs arrangements of great orchestral masterpieces as they develop full ensemble skills and individual playing technique.
Concert Orchestra is primarily intended to serve students with ensemble experience of 1+ years for winds/percussion and 3+ years for strings (approximately grades five through nine). Concert Orchestra generally rehearses on Sundays from 5:15- 7:00 PM.
PRELUDE STRINGS
Elizabeth Lundine, Conductor
Prelude Strings is an introductory-preparatory ensemble for young string musicians. Through participation in Prelude Strings, members improve individual playing technique, develop ensemble skills, and gain valuable performance experiences.
Prelude Strings primarily serves students with 1+ years ensemble experience (approximately grades four through eight) and generally rehearses on Sundays from 3:15 – 4:45 PM.