Type of Ensemble: An advanced full symphonic orchestra (including strings, winds, brass, percussion, harp, and keyboard) that performs masterpieces from the standard orchestral repertoire to a highly proficient level.
2022-23 Enrollment: 85
Typical YPO Students: YPO students are generally from the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area and from as far as West Virginia and Ohio. While auditions are based on playing level and not age, most students are between 14-18 years old, with some younger students and some college students.
Conductor: Brian Worsdale is the conductor of YPO and the Music Director of TRYPO. See Artistic Staff for more information about Mr. Worsdale.
Coaches: Students break out into monthly sectionals to focus on technique and their individual parts. YPO coaching staff is drawn from members of the Pittsburgh Symphony and other professional local teaching artists. See Artistic Staff for more information about YPO’s artistic staff.
Performances:YPO performs two to four concerts a year, depending on the season. Performances have taken place at Carnegie Music Hall of Oakland, Heinz Hall, and local schools. We presented Virtual Exhibitions during COVID-19, and in January 2022, we performed our first concert back with an audience at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. We will continue to plan in-person events within whatever COVID protocols are in place at the time.
Rehearsals: YPO rehearses September-May on Saturday afternoons 1:00 – 4:00 PM at the Mary Pappert School of Music, Duquesne University. Occasionally, schedule changes occur throughout the season, such as a Sunday or Monday evening rehearsal. We are pleased to offer a rehearsal venue at a convenient uptown location centrally located for families in the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area.
Retreats: We are SO happy to announce that our season starter retreat is back! Mini-Camp is an intensive retreat with TRYPO artistic and administrative staff, as well as TRYPO parent chaperones, where members will dig in on the season’s repertoire and spend some time getting to know each other as well! Mini-Camp 2023 will be held at Ligonier Camp on Labor Day Weekend for YPO and Symphonette Members. Attendance is mandatory.
Travel: TRYPO believes that performing while traveling uniquely cements a student’s relationship with music and strives for its large ensembles to travel regularly. The 2014-15 season was a travel year in which YPO went to New York City in June 2015 to perform in Carnegie Hall, among other activities. The 2017-18 season concluded with a Concert Tour of Central Europe in June 2018. For more information about the 2017-18 European Tour, please CLICK HERE. TRYPO finally returned to Carnegie Hall in New York City in spring 2022, with a stop at the French Woods Festival sleepaway camp on the way. There is an extra fee for travel opportunities in addition to regular tuition, but scholarship and fund-raising opportunities for student fees are also available. All YPO students are expected and encouraged to travel with the orchestra during a travel season. However, with proper notice, permission to miss the tour may be granted without jeopardizing the student’s membership in the orchestra.
Concerto Competition: Every year, YPO students can compete to perform with YPO at the spring concert. For more information, click HERE.
Auditions: YPO has auditions every May/June for entry to the next season. See New Member Auditions for more information on joining YPO and current openings (if any).
Repertoire: YPO performs standard orchestral repertoire for full orchestra. Recent repertoire selections have included:
- Williams – “The Flight to Neverland” from Hook: 21-22 Season
- Dvořák – Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, “From the New World”: 21-22 Season
- Dunton – Stillwater: 20-21 Season
- Tchaikovsky – March Slave: 20-21 Season
- Stravinsky – Suite from The Firebird (1919 version): 19-20 Season
- Wagner – Overture to The Flying Dutchman: 19-20 Season
- Williams – “Adventures on Earth” from T. the Extra-Terrestrial: 18-19 Season
- Holst – The Planets: 18-19 Season
- Dvorak – Symphony No. 8: 17-18 Season
- Smetana – The Moldau: 17-18 Season
- Dvorak – Carnival Overture: 17-18 Season
- Brahms – Variations on a Theme by Haydn: 16-17 Season
- Copland – Appalachian Spring: 16-17 Season
- Williams – Harry Potter Symphonic Suite: 16-17 Season
- Tchaikovsky – The Nutcracker Suite: 16-17 Season
- Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade (featuring guest concertmaster Jeremy Black): 16-17 Season
- Stravinsky – Suite from The Firebird (1919 version): 15-16 Season
- Respighi – Fountains of Rome: 15-16 Season
- Humperdinck – Prelude to Hansel and Gretel: 15-16 Season
- Verdi – Overture to Nabucco: 14-15 Season
- Abigana – Ceili, World premiere in Carnegie Hall, NYC: 14-15 Season
- Verdi – Overture to La Forza del destino: 15-16 Season
- Saint-Saëns – “Danse Bacchanale” from Samson and Delilah: 14-15 Season
Tuition: 2023-24 Tuition Fees are as follows. Visit our Tuition Assistance page for more information about scholarships.
| YPO Tuition Fees | Total Annual Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $700 |
|
Mini-Camp Tuition |
$340 |
- Financial aid and scholarship assistance are always available, and it is easier than ever to ask for what you need. Families should not be discouraged from applying to TRYPO due to financial limitations. Visit our Tuition Assistance page for more information about scholarships.
- Family Discounts: TRYPO offers a family discount for households with a child or children registered in more than one Sept-May TRYPO program. The first enrolled program will be charged at full price, but all subsequent programs qualify for $50 off per semester ($100/year).