Philharmonic

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

• • 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 

Tuition & Assistance

Philharmonic Tuition: $1,430 for the full season. Students joining 2^nd 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