Click here to view the tentative 2022-2023 SYO/SYC Schedule.

Live Wire is a chamber music society featuring a Brass Ensemble, Woodwind Quintet, two String Quartets, and a Percussion Ensemble. This unique performing opportunity for Youth Orchestra members encourages artistic excellence and personal achievement through the vehicle of chamber music. Participants are chosen by audition and other criteria, and perform in a wide variety of community settings. LiveWire ensembles receive professional coaching from members of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra.

Members of the SYO/SYC program should expect an incredibly fun experience while they make music with their peers! Students will have the opportunity to perform a wide array of music, work in sectional coachings with SSO musicians, improve their playing on their instrument, and have memorable performances for large crowds. Students feel a sense of belonging and purpose during their time in our programs! The experience of a SYO/SYC member cannot be underestimated, and we continue to strive to make every student feel respected and valued during their time in the program!

The tuition price for a student in the Springfield Youth Symphony, Chamber Orchestra or String Ensemble is $275 a year. A student in the Springfield Youth Choir is $200 per student. Have a sibling that wants to join?! Siblings receive 50% off tuition!

Financial aid is available in the form of partial and full tuition waivers on a need-based basis. Families may apply for aid prior to the start of the season, and will receive decisions regarding their application for funding when rehearsals begin. Families may also arrange to pay tuition in the form of monthly payment plans! We will NOT turn away any student that has a deep interest in our programs due to financial concerns!

Be prepared to learn ALL different types of music! Our youth orchestras are known to play many different styles from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th Century periods, along with performing other repertoire from the stage and screen, including Harry Potter, Star Wars and more! Also, students accepted into a LiveWire ensemble can expect more exposure as a soloist while they work in a smaller ensemble. Our Youth Choir also performs a variety of styles, including Bel Canto, jazz, gospel, contemporary, Broadway and more. Our conductors try to provide a wide array of music to keep things fresh and enjoyable for our students!

The SYO/SYC programs are such a rewarding experience for young musicians to make music in a fun environment with their peers. Our quality musical performances become some of the trademark memories that students remember from their middle and high school years. We take pride in the fact that many of our students go on to great professions after their time in the program, and still think back on their times in the program fondly! We want our students to look forward to Monday nights rehearsing with their friends at the John Legend Theater and be proud of the awesome music performances they put on for packed crowds!

Check out these testimonials from our youth orchestra students and parents

The Springfield Youth Orchestras and Youth Choir encourage ANY student that has an interest in making music to audition. WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR PERFECTION IN AUDITIONS! For our instrumental students, we are looking for students who have a basic understanding of how to read music, good control of their basic scales, and a great attitude! For our choir members, we want students that have a good ear, projection, great attitude, and are willing to learn how to work in an ensemble!

For auditions, students will do video submissions to be accepted into the SYO/SYC program. There are many advantages to being able to record your audition at home, as you are able to record your videos on your own time and with patience. Please DO NOT be afraid to audition! We are not expecting perfection from our musicians. We want every student to succeed!

In general, it is preferred that students in the SYO/SYC program are currently receiving instruction in their band, orchestra and choir programs at school, or taking lessons with a private instructor. However, this is not required.

For specific audition requirements, please click here

Springfield is the county seat of Clark County, OH. However, almost half of our students in SYO/SYC come from Champaign, Green, Franklin, Logan, Miami, Montgomery, and Shelby counties. Springfield is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Dayton, 45 miles west of Columbus, and is drivable from communities such as Urbana, Cedarville, West Liberty, Beavercreek, Mechanicsburg, London, South Charleston, Yellow Springs, New Carlisle, Troy and more! We ensure that even with a commute, our SYO/SCC members can rely on having a fun, safe and rewarding experience in our Youth Orchestras and Youth Choir!

For instrumental students (winds, brass and percussion), the age can range between 10-18 years old. The Springfield Youth Choir is open to ages 10-15 years old (grades 5-10), with some exceptions. However, we will consider all students of elementary, middle or high school age, as long as they show a deep enthusiasm for making music!

All ensembles rehearse during the school year on Monday nights at 6:00-9:00pm at the John Legend Theater in downtown Springfield. There are two major concerts a year- one in both the fall and spring. There will also be many additional performance opportunities throughout the year, especially for students selected for the LiveWire ensembles and the Youth Choir.

The SYO/SYC programs were established in 1959, the Springfield Youth Orchestra offers school-age students ranging in elementary school through high school the opportunity to perform and learn in a variety of solo, chamber, and full ensemble settings. The SYO/SYC currently boasts FOUR major ensembles, including the Springfield Youth Symphony, Springfield Youth Chamber Orchestra, Springfield Youth String Ensemble, and the Springfield Youth Choir. We also present our multiple chamber ensembles, known as LiveWire, which includes our woodwind quintet, brass quintet, string quartets, percussion ensemble and others.

To learn more about the SYO/SYC programs, click here