San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
ABOUT
About SF Symphony Youth Orchestra
The SFSYO’s success is rooted in its innovative, tuition-free training program which taps members of the San Francisco Symphony to coach Youth Orchestra members in individual instrument sectionals every Saturday. Nowhere else do young musicians receive this kind of regular, direct access to guidance from some of the finest orchestral musicians in the world.
The SFSYO’s programming is on par with that of a professional orchestra. Its three subscription programs each season include repertoire that ranges from Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony to Strauss’s Suite from Der Rosenkavalier to Mahler’s Symphony No. 1.
Radu Paponiu
Wattis Foundation Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra
Excerpt from Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique
Upcoming Performances
Commitment to Community
The SFSYO is a vital part of the Bay Area’s rich cultural life. The ensemble has opened the Stern Grove Festival three times, performed for patients at Laguna Honda Hospital, played a benefit for Stanford Children’s Hospital, given an Earthquake Relief Concert for the Hollister School of the Arts, and performed at the opening of San Francisco’s Main Library.
In January 2024, the SFSYO hosted the ninth Bay Area Youth Orchestra Festival (BAYOF). The biennial event presents the SFSYO and colleague ensembles onstage at Davies Symphony Hall; all proceeds benefit Bay Area organizations dedicated to the needs of underserved youth.
Wendy Tokuda, BAYOF Master of Ceremonies (left) and David Ramadanoff, Music Director of the Young People’s Symphony Orchestra (right)
BAYOF Festival Orchestra performing at Davies Symphony Hall. A joint ensemble comprised of top members from five participating orchestras. The members of other youth orchestras observe from the terrace above.
Our Mission
The mission of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (SFSYO) is to provide the finest orchestral training, tuition-free, to young musicians at the pre-professional level and to enrich the cultural life of the community by presenting music at the highest tier of artistic achievement. Over the past 40+ years, the SFSYO has earned a reputation as one of the finest youth ensembles in the world.
Our History
The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (SFSYO) was founded in 1981 by impresario Jahja Ling, its first music director. Ling worked closely with celebrated arts patron Agnes Albert and former SF Symphony Director of Education Ron Gallman to establish an unshakable foundation for what quickly became one of the most celebrated youth ensembles in the world.
Jahja Ling, Founding Music Director of SFSYO
