Greater Boulder Youth Orchestras

World famous violinist and teacher Midori joined GBYO for a week-long residency in 2018!

We are very proud to have been one of five honorees!

The Dairy Center Honors, Boulder's opportunity to recognize five individuals or institutions that have made significant contributions to the arts in Boulder County, selected GBYO as an honoree!

The GBYO Wind Ensemble and Symphony Strings performed at the Lincoln Memorial and Kennedy Center!

Tuesday March 28, 2017, at 6pm, the young musicians of GBYO performed on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center during the SHIFT Festival. The Boulder Philharmonic has been specially selected for the this innaugural festival, and they invited GBYO!

We toured monuments and museums, saw the cherry blossoms in bloom around the Jefferson Memorial, met with Representative Jared Polis, toured the Capitol Building, sat in the Senate gallery, got a behind the scenes tour at the Library of Congress including the Stradivarius collection, and performed at the Lincoln Memorial and Kennedy Center!

• Rehearsals. More than two dozen rehearsals throughout the school year conducted by professionals, during which students learn the finer points and collaborative nature of preparing ensemble music for performance.
• New friends. Join like-minded excellent young musicians from across Colorado, encompassing approximately 45 different schools.
• Outstanding conductors. Motivating, challenging, award winning, knowledgeable, in demand, inspiring… GBYO conductors are awesome! Young musicians typically have the opportunity to work with such conductors once or twice a year at a brief festival like All State. GBYO musicians work with these conductors each week!
• Mentors. Outstanding professional musicians and graduate students work with GBYO students weekly. Read more.
• Performances in a large ensemble. GBYO has three orchestras and a wind ensemble.
• Performing works by master composers. Past performances have included works by Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Bach, Gershwin, Copland, and so many more.
• Performing world premieres. GBYO ensembles have premiered several new works.
• Performing in concert halls like Macky Auditorium (or maybe even the Kennedy Center!).
• Chamber music. Hone your skills in musicianship, leadership, and teamwork.
• Community. Connect with many people from throughout Colorado. Perform in the community, outside of the concert hall.
• Mini retreat. Each ensemble gets together for a special afternoon beyond the usual rehearsal time.
• Collaborations. GBYO collaborates with oustanding professional groups like the Boulder Philharmonic and Colorado Music Festival.
• Guest musicians. Musicians from professional orchestras like Colorado Ballet, Boulder Bach Festival, and universities often work with GBYO ensembles.
• Masterclass opportunities. GBYO musicians have performed in masterclasses with musicians like Maureen Murchie, Takacs String Quartet, Brook Ferguson, Augustin Hadelich, Vadim Repin, and more.
• Life skills. Participation in instrumental music results in profound and lasting positive change in behavior, as evidenced in much scientific research: music students have an easier time staying focused, learning new languages, and thinking abstractly, and have higher level cognitive processes. GBYO rehearsals fully engage students; the skills learned in practicing and preparing carry over to school and all areas of life, and our members use these skills to boost achievement.
• Opportunities. GBYO students are better prepared for other prestigious opportunities, and have participated in programs like All State Orchestra, Interlochen, and Tanglewood. GBYO graduates have gone on to study music at leading institutions like Juilliard, University of Michigan, and Eastman.

GBYO is a non-profit organization and relies on the support of donors.

Your support makes a positive difference in the lives of gifted young musicians and the community they serve.

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