Founded in 1947 by Harry Levenson, the Worcester Youth Orchestras (WYO) have maintained a presence in Central Massachusetts for more than seventy years offering musical training, orchestral experiences and fostering lifelong friendships for aspiring young musicians. What began as one orchestra with a loan of $150 from Teen-Age Canteen of forty-five students has grown to more than two-hundred students in four orchestras, a wind ensemble, a jazz program.  The orchestra made its debut on May 19th, 1948, at Atwood Hall at Clark University and celebrated its 70th Anniversary Concert on May 20th, 2018, at Mechanics Hall, Worcester with members from that original 1947 class in the audience.

The orchestras' membership draws from over sixty towns and seventy-two schools in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island representing the finest talent from public, private and community music school programs. WYO is the third oldest youth orchestra in the country and has a long history of masterful performances at Mechanics Hall, The Aud, The DCU, Tuckerman Hall, Alden Hall, The Hanover Theatre, Anna Maria College, Warner Theatre (Worcester Academy), and Holy Cross. They have appeared as guest performers at The Academy of Music in Northampton, Boston University's Tsai Center, Pickman Hall at Longy School of Music, The Paramount Theatre in Boston, Dorothy Young Center for the Arts at Drew University, home of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Shalin Liu Concert Hall in Rockport.

All of its students are actively involved in their school music programs, as well as all-state and regional district music festivals. Under the artistic direction of Jonathan Brennand for the past ten seasons, WYO has grown to four orchestras, a wind ensemble, jazz program, honors chamber music program and a flute and clarinet choir. It serves more than two-hundred students and draws an annual audience of more than 8,000 concertgoers each season. Mr. Brennand founded the popular and beloved Annual Family Holiday Concert, which draws more than nine-hundred families each year to celebrate the festive season. WYO presents a number of community outreach concerts each year at various places throughout greater Worcester bringing music and joy to all, recent appearances include St. Vincent's Hospital and Briarwood Retirement Community.

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