The WSSYO is currently comprised of three full orchestras for aspiring musicians in the first through twelfth grades: the Premiere Strings, a strings only orchestra for young musicians who are new to the experience of playing in an ensemble with a conductor, the Youth Philharmonic for intermediate level students and the Youth Symphony for more advanced students. Each full orchestra consists of 60 to 75 members and performs several public concerts annually as well as occasional concerts for special audiences. The Premiere Strings consists of 20-30 members and performs three programs annually.
The Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras strive to foster the greatest artistic and personal development of talented young musicians, by providing them with a musical experience that challenges and develops their musical abilities and creates a lasting sense of pride in their work.
The Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras carry out their mission by:
- Developing orchestral ensembles of musical depth, balance, and variety that offer students at various ability levels a valuable musical experience;
- Providing artistic, aesthetic, and practical musical training of the highest level to its members; and
- Maintaining meaningful working relationships with the public schools, local college music programs, the regional civic and professional orchestras, and the community at large.
