Valley Youth Orchestra Auditions

Calling All Young Violin, Viola, Cello & Bass Players!

2026-27 Valley Youth Orchestra Auditions

Young string musicians from across the region are invited to audition for the Valley Youth Orchestra’s 2026–27 season.

Since 1999, the Valley Youth Orchestra (VYO) has given young musicians from Delta, Montrose, Mesa, Ouray, and San Juan counties an opportunity unavailable in many local public schools: the chance to rehearse and perform as part of a string orchestra.

The 2026–27 season also begins a new chapter for VYO as Andrew Price takes the podium as orchestra director this fall.

VYO offers three ensemble levels, allowing musicians to participate at an appropriate level as they develop their skills and experience. The season is organized into trimesters, with each featuring a themed concert and master class.

Master classes give students opportunities to learn directly from professional musicians, university faculty, and visiting performers. VYO musicians also take their music into the community, including performances for area elementary schools.

Students participating in VYO are required to take private lessons. Tuition is $125 per trimester, with scholarships available based on financial need.

For more than 25 years, hundreds of young musicians as well as the conductors, mentors, and volunteers who support them have helped keep the Valley Youth Orchestra growing and making music in Western Colorado.

Auditions are an opportunity to become part of what comes next.

Please visit us online to learn about us and for more details!

The Valley Youth Orchestra is a board-run, 501(c)3) nonprofit providing a youth orchestra to Colorado’s Western Slope communities.

Our mission is to provide a youth orchestra experience in a nurturing environment with a focus on peer mentoring and community engagement to rural communities in western Colorado.