Utah Valley Youth Symphony Orchestra

Welcome!

Thank you for your interest in joining UVYSO!

Who we are:

UVYSO is the oldest youth orchestra in Utah Valley (est. 1960). Our alumni have gone to become members of such ensembles as the Chicago Symphony or the Los Angeles Philharmonic, have become music teachers or continued to play their instruments in a variety of settings, well beyond their time with us. We perform fully symphonic music (strings, winds, brass, percussion, harp, piano) and offer chamber music (as an option). UVYSO students work with professional musicians weekly—conductors who are university faculty, but also with professional soloists and clinicians. Our February concerts feature as soloists the winners of the Annual UVYSO Concerto Competition (open to members of UVYSO). Our students come from all over the Utah Valley and beyond, ages ca. 10 to 18+. We perform symphonic works as the great composers wrote them (rarely do we do arrangements, and if we do, they tend to be full pops orchestra type). We aspire to and work towards the highest artistic level possible.

The repertoire in 2025-2026 season will include Beethoven's 8th Symphony and Dvorak's "New World" Symphony, works with soloists Nicole Oswald, violin and Aubrey, Holmes, viola, as well as opera singers Melissa Heath, soprano and Isaac Hurtado, tenor. And much more!

Explore our website to learn about us in detail (including soloists, collaborations, conductors, and repertoire from the past seasons: https://uvyso.org/.

Auditions:

We audition and welcome students throughout the year, but summer in-person auditions are on:

Thursday, August 14, 2025,  5-7 pm

Saturday, August 16, 10 am – 3 pm

at Summerhays Music of Orem, 1006 S State St, Orem, UT 84097

You will be able to schedule a specific time for your in-person audition in the course of your application.

Audition Repertoire requirements:

• One major and one minor scale of your choice (2-3 octaves or in as many octaves as you are used to playing)
• A 3-5 minute solo that best represents your current level of playing (contrasting fragments recommended). No accompanist needed.
• Percussionists should bring a pad and mallets/sticks.

Application process:
1. If you are uploading materials, you can complete the application and submit your audition fee payment ($25) at any time after July 22. If you intend to audition in person on the dates above, complete the application and submit your audition fee payment ($25) after July 22 but by August 14, noon.  Within the application, you will be able to indicate more than one instrument. If you play multiple instruments proficiently, we want to know this and hear you play them at your audition. As you fill out your application, please provide a Gmail email address if you have one. For accepted students,  Gmail address will be required to join Google Classroom through which we communicate all kinds of details weekly.

1. Select your preferred audition time. You will immediately receive confirmation of your selected audition time. Please arrive minimum 10 minutes before your audition. There will be a warm-up room for you to use before your audition. 
   
   

APPLICATION FEE WAIVERS:

Acceptance letters:

Will be sent before August 20. Rehearsals begin Aug. 23. Our rehearsals are on Saturday mornings, 8:30-11:30 orchestra, and for those who wish to participate in our chamber music, the rehearsals/coachings are at 11:30-12:30 pm. We rehearse at 3410 N. Canyon Rd, Provo. 

Questions about UVYSO? Contact Executive Director Blanka Bednarz at blanka.bednarz@uvyso.org

For technical questions, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk.