Three orchestras make up the Symphony Orchestra Program. These orchrestras are for woodwind, brass, percussion and string students.
Youth Symphony I (YSI)
Youth Symphony I is the most advanced of our seven orchestras, and is one of the finest youth symphonies in the country. Among its accomplishments, YSI has been a Finalist in the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, performed with Midori, and was featured on From The Top with host Christopher O’Riley.
In the 2017-18 season, YSI was composed of 104 students, grades 9-12, from 23 public, home, and independent schools across Oahu and Maui. They rehearsed more than 130 hours and performed 10 concerts, including a Side-by-Side with the professional Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
Conducted by Dr. John Devlin
Youth Symphony II (YSII)
Youth Symphony II is the second most advanced of our seven orchestras. In 2017-18, Youth Symphony II was composed of 109 students, grades 8-12, from 32 schools across Oahu and Maui. They rehearsed more than 120 hours and performed 7 concerts, including a joint collaboration with Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus!
Conducted by Mr. Elton Masaki and Mrs. Susan Ochi-Onishi.
Concert Orchestra (CO)
Concert Orchestra is the third most-advanced of our seven orchestras, and is the entry level to our Symphony Program. This year, Concert Orchestra was composed of 97 students, grades 6-12, from 33 schools across Oahu. They rehearsed more than 110 hours and performed 5 concerts, including one of our Listen & Learn concerts attended by nearly 2,000 school children!
Conducted by Ms. Hannah Watanabe and Mr. Wayne Fanning.
Rehearsal Locations
Rehearsals are held every Sunday afternoon from August through May. Students are expected to attend all rehearsals and concerts. The 2017-2018 rehearsal schedule is outlined below:
| Orchestra | Concert Orchestra | Youth Symphony II | Youth Symphony I |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rehearsal Location | Niu Valley Middle School 310 Halemaumau Street Honolulu, HI 96821 | Kaimuki Middle School 631 18th Avenue Honolulu, HI 96816 | UH Music Department 2411 Dole Street Honolulu, HI 96822 |
| Rehearsal Schedule | Winds/Percussion Sectional 11:30 am – 12:30 pm Full Orchestra Rehearsal 12:30 – 2:00 pm Strings Sectional 2:00 – 3:00 pm | Winds/Percussion Sectional & Strings Sectional 11:30 am – 12:30 pm Full Orchestra Rehearsal 12:30 – 2:00 pm | Winds/Percussion Sectional 11:00 am – 12:00 pm Full Orchestra Rehearsal 12:00 – 2:00 pm Strings Sectional 2:00 – 3:00 pm |
Financial Aid
HYS believes in making music education affordable and equitable for all. Thanks to generous donations and grants, we are able to offer financial aid packages for qualified students. Scholarships for private lessons are also available. Financial Aid applications will be available at the HYS website and will be due by September 1, 2018. All financial information will be kept confidential and used only for financial aid decision-making purposes
Neighbor Island Students
Travel Assistance Available
Students from all islands are encouraged to audition and apply. In addition to Financial Aid and Scholarships, HYS has funds to assist with neighbor island students with travel expenses (airfare and ground transportation) for rehearsals and concerts.
Because we understand that coming every weekend to Oahu would be impossible, we will work with neighbor island students on a case-by-case basis to create reasonable attendance policies that minimize hardship, while maximizing learning, participation, and artistic excellence.