School-Year Orchestras
11 orchestras open to musicians of all ability levels ages 7–18. There’s a place for you in GTCYS!
GTCYS’ 11 school-year orchestras provide a rigorous and inspiring orchestral learning community for nearly 1,000 beginning to pre-professional string, woodwind, brass, and percussion students each year. Students audition annually and are placed by ability in one of our 11 orchestras.
Every orchestra has weekly evening rehearsals September through May, several annual performances (including two at Orchestra Hall), day retreats, sectionals with professional musicians, social activities, and leadership opportunities like mentoring and service projects.
Auditions
Interested in growing in GTCYS? Second-semester auditions for our 2025–26 season are open! We have limited openings for new students.
The main auditions for our 11 school-year orchestras are held online each spring. All other auditions are reviewed on a rolling basis and placed according to instrument needs and openings.
Our Orchestras
Beloved conductor and string pedagogy expert Mary Sorlie strikes a winning balance of fun and rigor in GTCYS’ entry-level string orchestra, Philharmonia East. Beginning string players have an average of 2 to 4 years’ experience, and develop vital ensemble skills that foster individual growth while learning how to listen, watch, and understand orchestral vocabulary. Repertoire is primarily first position, and students must know detaché and staccato bow strokes.
2025-26 Highlights
- Rehearse weekly from September through mid-May with Mary Sorlie, GTCYS alum, professional violinist, and award-winning teacher
- Perform at 4 exciting concerts—2 at Orchestra Hall and 2 community performances around the Twin Cities
- Explore a wide variety of challenging music, including special collaborations with local artists and other GTCYS orchestras
- Learn from professional musicians during sectionals
- Make friends from across the region through 2 half-day retreats, social activities like treat nights, and optional bonus activities like Student Leadership Team.
Rehearsals
Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00pm
NEW LOCATION: House of Hope Presbyterian Church – Sanctuary
797 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105
View and subscribe to the Philharmonia East Calendar »
Tuition & Assistance
Philharmonia Tuition: $950 for the full season.* Students joining 2nd semester pay 60%, $570. Learn more about tuition and financial assistance.
Watch a Philharmonia East Performance
Beloved conductor and string pedagogy expert Mary Sorlie strikes a winning balance of fun and rigor in GTCYS’ entry-level string orchestra, Philharmonia West. Beginning string players have an average of 2 to 4 years’ experience, and develop vital ensemble skills that foster individual growth while learning how to listen, watch, and understand orchestral vocabulary. Repertoire is primarily first position, and students must know detaché and staccato bow strokes.
2025-26 Highlights
- Rehearse weekly from September through mid-May with Mary Sorlie, GTCYS alum, professional violinist, and award-winning teacher
- Perform at 4 exciting concerts—2 at Orchestra Hall and 2 community performances around the Twin Cities
- Explore a wide variety of challenging music, including special collaborations with local artists and other GTCYS orchestras
- Learn from professional musicians during sectionals
- Make friends from across the region through 2 half-day retreats, social activities like treat nights, and optional bonus activities like Student Leadership Team
Rehearsals
Mondays, 6:30-8:00pm
Edina Senior Center: 5280 Grandview Square #101, Edina, MN 55436.
View and subscribe to the Philharmonia West Calendar
Tuition & Assistance
Philharmonia Tuition: $950 for the full season. Students joining 2nd semester pay 60%. Learn more about tuition and financial assistance here.
Watch a Philharmonia West Performance
Enjoy their live performance of Adrian Gordon’s The Enchanted Forest at Orchestra Hall.
Brian Larson leads Sinfonia East, GTCYS’ first full orchestra with strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Students are actively engaged in an enjoyable and welcoming environment as they’re introduced to rehearsal, listening, and ensemble skills, while developing musical elements of style and phrasing. String players in Sinfonia East have an average of 3 to 5 years’ experience, and wind/brass/percussion students have an average of 1 to 4 years’ experience. Special artistic projects, sectionals, retreats, social activities, and extra opportunities provide a well-rounded experience which develops students’ musical, leadership, and lifelong skills.
2025-26 Highlights
- Rehearse weekly from September through mid-May with Brian Larson, cellist and director of orchestras at Chippewa Middle School (Mounds View)
- Perform at 4 exciting concerts—2 at Orchestra Hall and 2 community performances around the Twin Cities
- Explore a wide variety of challenging music, including special collaborations with local artists and other GTCYS orchestras
- Learn from professional musicians during sectionals, with special seminars for brass, woodwinds, and percussion
- Make friends from across the region through 2 half-day retreats, social activities like treat nights, and optional bonus activities like Student Leadership Team.
Rehearsals
Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00pm
NEW LOCATION: House of Hope Presbyterian Church
797 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105
View and subscribe to the Sinfonia East Calendar
Tuition & Assistance
Sinfonia East Tuition: $1050 for the full season. Students joining 2nd semester pay 60%, $630. Learn more about tuition and financial assistance here.
Watch a Sinfonia East Performance
Laura Hebert leads Sinfonia West, GTCYS’ first full orchestra with strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Students are actively engaged in an enjoyable and welcoming environment as they’re introduced to rehearsal, listening, and ensemble skills, while developing musical elements of style and phrasing. String players in Sinfonia West have an average of 3 to 5 years’ experience, and wind/brass/percussion students have an average of 1 to 4 years’ experience. Special artistic projects, sectionals, retreats, social activities, and extra opportunities provide a well-rounded experience which develops students’ musical, leadership, and lifelong skills.
2025-26 Highlights
- Rehearse weekly from September through mid-May with Laura Hebert, GTCYS alum, private string instructor, and former teacher in the Roseville and Stillwater school districts
- Perform at 4 exciting concerts—2 at Orchestra Hall and 2 community performances around the Twin Cities
- Explore a wide variety of challenging music, including special collaborations with local artists and other GTCYS orchestras
- Learn from professional musicians during sectionals, with special seminars for brass, woodwinds, and percussion
- Make friends from across the region through 2 half-day retreats, social activities like treat nights, and optional bonus activities like Student Leadership Team.
Rehearsals
Mondays, 6:30-8:00pm
Wooddale Church – Edina Campus: 5532 Wooddale Ave, Edina, MN 55424
View and subscribe to the Sinfonia West Calendar
Tuition & Assistance
Sinfonia West Tuition: $1050 for the full season. Students joining 2nd semester pay 60%, $630. Learn more about tuition financial assistance here.
Watch a Sinfonia West Performance
Led by conductor Tamara Gonzalez, Concertino East students to take their musicianship to the next level by focusing on technical skills, excellence, and teamwork. String players have an average of 4 to 7 years of experience and wind/brass/percussion students have have an average of 1 to 4 years of experience. Special artistic projects, sectionals, retreats, and social activities provide a well-rounded experience which develops students’ musical, leadership, and lifelong skills.
2025-26 Highlights
- Rehearse weekly from September through mid-May with Tamara Gonzalez, a professional violinist with a rich background of performance and teaching experience, and current instructor at the Blake School
- Perform at 5 exciting concerts—2 at Orchestra Hall, 2 community performances around the Twin Cities, and a school tour in April
- Explore a wide variety of challenging music, including special collaborations with local artists and other GTCYS orchestras
- Learn from professional musicians during sectionals, with special seminars for brass, woodwinds, and percussion
- Make friends from across the region through 2 half-day retreats, social activities like treat nights, and optional bonus activities like chamber music and Student Leadership Team
Rehearsals
Thursdays, 6:45-8:30pm
Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church: 1669 Arcade St, St. Paul, MN 55106
View and subscribe to the Concertino East Calendar
Tuition & Assistance
Concertino East Tuition: $1,175 for the full season. Students joining 2nd semester pay 60%, $705. Learn more about tuition and financial assistance here.
Watch a Concertino East Performance
Conductor Dan Mollick applies his passion as an educator and classical musician to create a challenging experience for students. Concertino West students their musicianship to the next level by focusing on technical skills, excellence, and teamwork. String players have an average of 4 to 7 years of experience and wind/brass/percussion students have have an average of 1 to 4 years of experience. Special artistic projects, sectionals, retreats, and social activities provide a well-rounded experience which develops students’ musical, leadership, and lifelong skills.
2025-26 Highlights
- Rehearse weekly from September through mid-May with Dan Mollick, cellist and award-winning orchestra director
- Perform at 5 exciting concerts—2 at Orchestra Hall, 2 community performances around the Twin Cities, and a school tour in April
- Explore a wide variety of challenging music, including special collaborations with local artists and other GTCYS orchestras
- Learn from professional musicians during sectionals, with special seminars for brass, woodwinds, and percussion
- Make friends from across the region through 2 half-day retreats, social activities like treat nights, and optional bonus activities like chamber music and Student Leadership Team
Rehearsals
Mondays, 6:45-8:30pm
Good Samaritan United Methodist Church 5730 Grove Street, Edina MN 55436.
View and subscribe to the Concertino West Calendar
Tuition & Assistance
Concertino West Tuition: $1,175 for the full season. Students joining 2nd semester pay 60%, $705. Learn more about tuition and financial assistance here.
Watch a Concertino West Performance
Led by conductor Zane Kaiser, Camerata Vivace embodies teamwork, encouragement, and commitment that build students’ musical success and confidence. String players in Camerata Vivace have an average of 5 to 7 years of experience and winds/brass/percussion students have been playing their instruments for 3 to 7 years. Special artistic projects, sectionals, retreats, and social activities provide a well-rounded and transformative experience which develops students’ musical, leadership, and lifelong skills.
2025-26 Highlights
- Rehearse weekly from September through mid-May with Zane Kaiser, bassoonist and music director at Justice Page Middle School in Minneapolis
- Perform at 5 exciting concerts—2 at Orchestra Hall and 3 community performances around the Twin Cities
- Explore a wide variety of challenging music, including special collaborations with local artists and other GTCYS orchestras
- Learn from professional musicians during sectionals, with special seminars for brass, woodwinds, and percussion
- Make friends from across the region through 2 half-day retreats, social activities like treat nights, and optional bonus activities like chamber music and Student Leadership Team
Rehearsals
Thursdays, 7:00-8:45pm
House of Hope Presbyterian Church: 797 Summit Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105
View and subscribe to the Camerata Vivace Calendar
Tuition & Assistance
Camerata Vivace Tuition: $1,250 for the full season. Students joining 2nd semester pay 60%, $750. Learn more about tuition and financial assistance here.
Watch a 2023-24 Camerata Performance
Enjoy 2023-24 Camerata’s live performance of Les Preludes: Love, Story, and Victory by Franz Liszt, arr. Vernon Leidig at Orchestra Hall.
A close-knit group led by conductor Diane Hallberg, Camerata Con Brio embodies teamwork, encouragement, and commitment that build students’ musical success and confidence. String players in Camerata Con Brio have an average of 5 to 7 years of experience and winds/brass/percussion students have been playing their instruments for 3 to 7 years. Special artistic projects, sectionals, retreats, and social activities provide a well-rounded and transformative experience which develops students’ musical, leadership, and lifelong skills.
2025-26 Highlights
- Rehearse weekly from September through mid-May with Diane Hallberg, professional flutist and band and orchestra teacher at Minnehaha Academy
- Perform at 5 exciting concerts—2 at Orchestra Hall and 3 community performances around the Twin Cities
- Explore a wide variety of challenging music, including special collaborations with local artists and other GTCYS orchestras
- Learn from professional musicians during sectionals, with special seminars for brass, woodwinds, and percussion
- Make friends from across the region through 2 half-day retreats, social activities like treat nights, and optional bonus activities like chamber music and Student Leadership Team
Rehearsals
Tuesdays, 7:00-8:45pm
Wooddale Church – Edina Campus: 5532 Wooddale Ave, Edina, MN 55424
View and subscribe to the Camerata Con Brio Calendar
Tuition & Assistance
Camerata Con Brio Tuition: $1,250 for the full season. Students joining 2nd semester pay 60%, $750. Learn more about tuition and financial assistance.
Watch a Camerata Performance
Jack Reynertson leads Concert Orchestra students to employ curiosity, build community, and share a commitment to excellence which nurtures students’ individual technique and ensemble artistry. With challenging repertoire including original orchestral works, Concert Orchestra has five annual performances, including two at Orchestra Hall. String players in Concert Orchestra have an average of 6 to 8 years of experience and winds/brass/percussion students have been playing their instruments for 4 to 8 years. Special artistic projects, sectionals, retreats, and social activities provide a well-rounded and transformative experience which develops students’ musical, leadership, and lifelong skills.
2025-26 Highlights
- Rehearse weekly from September through mid-May with Jack Reynertson, percussionist and orchestra teacher at Edina High School
- Perform at 5 exciting concerts—2 at Orchestra Hall and 3 community performances around the Twin Cities
- Explore a wide variety of challenging music, including special collaborations with local artists and other GTCYS orchestras
- Learn from professional musicians during sectionals, with special seminars for brass, woodwinds, and percussion
- Make friends from across the region through 2 half-day retreats, social activities like treat nights, and optional bonus activities like chamber music and Student Leadership Team
Rehearsals
Mondays, 6:45-8:45pm
Westminster Presbyterian Church (Fellowship Hall): 1200 S Marquette Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Free parking is available in Westminster’s underground garage.
Carpool lists are provided so interested families can coordinate ridesharing.
View and subscribe to the Concert Orchestra Calendar
Tuition & Assistance
Concert Orchestra Tuition: $1,330 for the full season. Students joining 2nd semester pay 60%, $795. Learn more about tuition and financial assistance.
Watch a Concert Orchestra Performance
We’re pleased to share that GTCYS Artistic Director Mark Russell Smith will conduct Philharmonic for the first semester of our 2025–26 season, and possibly the spring. Maestro Smith will lead students through a deep exploration of major symphonic repertoire and the music’s historical context. With a focus on developing individual musicianship that drives the orchestra’s collective success, Philharmonic builds students’ lifelong appreciation of music and desire to strive for excellence. With five annual concerts, including two at Orchestra Hall, Philharmonic attracts the area’s leading high school musicians. String players in Philharmonic have an average of 7 to 10 years of experience and winds/brass/percussion students have typically been playing their instruments for 5 to 8 years. Special artistic projects, sectionals, retreats, and social activities provide a well-rounded and transformative experience which develops students’ musical, leadership, and lifelong skills.
2025-26 Highlights
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- Rehearse weekly from September through mid-May with Mark Russell Smith, who also serves as the artistic director of orchestral activities at the University of Minnesota, music director and conductor of the Quad City Symphony, and professional conductor across the country
- Perform at 5 exciting concerts—2 at Orchestra Hall, 1 at Ted Mann Concert Hall, and 2 community performances around the Twin Cities
- Master spectacular repertoire that challenges and inspires, including Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, Brent Michael Davids’ Lake Winds (a GTCYS commission!), and Tan Dun’s Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds for orchestra—and audience cell phones
- Explore a wide variety of challenging music, including special collaborations with local artists and other GTCYS orchestras
- Learn from professional musicians during sectionals, with special seminars for brass, woodwinds, and percussion
- Make friends from across the region through 2 half-day retreats, social activities like treat nights, and optional bonus activities like chamber music, mentoring, and Student Leadership Team
Rehearsals:
Tuesdays, 6:45-9:15pm
Westminster Presbyterian Church: 1200 S Marquette Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
View and subscribe to the Philharmonic Calendar
Tuition & Assistance
Philharmonic Tuition: $1,430 for the full season. Students joining 2nd semester pay 60%,$855. Learn more about tuition and financial assistance.
Watch a Philharmonic Performance
Enjoy their live performance of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, Op. 35, IV. Festival at Baghdad. Allegro molto at Orchestra Hall
Led by professional conductor and educator Mark Russell Smith, Symphony is GTCYS’ flagship orchestra which masters major repertoire, including full symphonic works, in a supportive and conservatory-like setting. With its own concert series and professional style performance opportunities, Symphony attracts the best young musicians in the region. String players in Symphony have an average of 7 to 12 years of experience and winds/brass/percussion students have typically been playing their instruments for 5 to 8 years. Special artistic projects, sectionals, retreats, social activities, and extra opportunities provide a well-rounded and transformative experience which develops students’ musical, leadership, and lifelong skills.
2025-26 Highlights
- Rehearse weekly at Orchestra Hall from September through mid-May with Mark Russell Smith, our esteemed artistic director as well as the artistic director of orchestral studies at the University of Minnesota, music director and conductor of the Quad City Symphony, and professional conductor across the country
- Perform at 13+ exciting concerts—7 at Orchestra Hall, 1 at Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2 concerts around the Twin Cities, and 3+ on the Australia and New Zealand tour, including a capstone performance at the Sydney Opera House
- Master spectacular repertoire that challenges and inspires, including music from Sergei Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet, the overture to Richard Wagner’s opera Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and John Williams’ Music from Lincoln: “With Malice Toward None”
- Learn from professional musicians during sectionals, with special seminars for brass, woodwinds, and percussion
- Make friends from across the region through 2 half-day retreats, social activities like treat nights, and optional bonus activities like mentoring and Student Leadership Team
Rehearsals
Mondays, 6:45-9:15pm
Orchestra Hall: 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403.
This incredible opportunity is made possible through a special partnership with Minnesota Orchestra and with the generous support of GTCYS’ community of donors.\
View and subscribe to the Symphony Calendar
Tuition & Assistance
Symphony Tuition: $1,595 for the full season. Students joining 2nd semester pay 60%, $955. Learn more about tuition and financial assistance.
Watch a Symphony Performance
Tuition & Assistance
Tuition varies by orchestra, $950–$1,595 for the full season. Students joining for the 2nd semester pay 60%.
Thanks to the generous support of our community, tuition amounts are significantly lower than the true cost of our programs, offering families a high-quality experience for the investment
Learn more about assistance and contact miranda@gtcys.org with questions.
Sibling Discount: We offer a sibling discount of $100 per additional child.
Payment Options: Families can pay in full or in monthly installments.
Retreat Fee: The $100 retreat fee, which was charged separately in previous years, is now included in the overall school-year tuition amount and there is no additional deposit. We hope this makes things simpler and more convenient for families.
