About Us

Our Mission

To provide the highest quality musical experience that allows our students to grow as musicians and individuals, who then contribute to our nation's cultural landscape, as they become future artistic and community leaders.

Our Vision

To become the premier youth orchestra in the nation.

History

The American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras (AYPO), formerly known as the Northern Virginia Youth Symphony Association, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization currently in its 46th season. AYPO offers an opportunity for intense orchestral training, development and performance under outstanding conductors and coaches.

Consisting of four separate ensembles — the String Ensemble, Concert Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra, and Philharmonic Orchestra — the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras provides talented young people an opportunity to perform in one of this nation’s premier youth ensembles, offering them musical experiences of the highest caliber. The Philharmonic has come to be recognized as one of this nation's finest youth orchestras, having represented Virginian youth in the arts through performances at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the National Orchestral Festival, the International Rachmaninoff Festival (Novgorod, Russia), the Aberdeen International Youth Festival (Scotland), the British Festival of Youth Orchestras, the Festival of Youth Orchestras (Chicago and Washington D.C.), and the Spoleto Festival (South Carolina). In 2003, the American Youth Philharmonic became the Youth Orchestra in Residence at George Mason University Center for the Arts.

In 1993, the Northern Virginia Youth Symphony Association’s flagship orchestra was named the American Youth Philharmonic® (AYP). The new name reflected not only the regional scope of its more than 100 young musicians from all over the metropolitan area, but also the national acclaim and prestige the orchestra had earned in its first three decades. Since this change, the name American Youth Philharmonic has become synonymous with excellence.

The Orchestras are dependent on the generosity and support of givers who share in its mission and purpose. The Board of Directors gratefully acknowledges the musicians, parents and families; the artistic and professional staff; the volunteers, donors and supporters; the arts community; and the audiences who have made this organization what it is today.