Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras
Join Our Programs!
Please contact us at csyo@charlottesymphony.org if you have any questions.
Member Portal:
The member portal is only accessible to current members of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras.
About the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras
The Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras experience provides extraordinary music education in pursuit of musical excellence. The programs aim to inspire in our students a strong sense of character, discipline, commitment, and community. The ensembles are inclusive, diverse, and accessible to all students, regardless of financial resources. High-quality ensemble training is led by Charlotte Symphony Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees, Youth Camerata conductor Ian Passmore, Youth Philharmonic Co-Conductors Katie Ebert and Eric Thompson, Youth Ensemble Conductor Eric Thompson and professional Charlotte Symphony musicians, who provide a nurturing environment through which young musicians create lasting bonds in music and friendship. We offer regular performance opportunities throughout the city, including the Belk and Knight Theaters; plus, access to the Charlotte Symphony's renowned Music Director Designate, Kwamé Ryan, and international visiting artists. Follow us @cltsymphonyyo!
Our Ensembles
| Youth Symphony |
| The Youth Symphony is our most advanced ensemble comprised mostly of high school students. Members are selected through a competitive audition process held annually in the spring. The Youth Symphony performs advanced and preprofessional level symphonic repertoire, and our students will focus on developing essential elements of professional musicianship by performing traditional and new works and collaborating with living composers and artists. By participating in this orchestra, musicians will hone skills such as transposition and proficiency in alternate clefs. Sectional and coaching opportunities with CSO musicians are offered on a regular basis. The Youth Symphony meets on Mondays, 5:45-8:15 pm. Repertoire Performed in Recent Seasons: Bizet: Carmen Suite No. 1 Borodin: Symphony No. 2 (Movements 1 & 3) Coleridge-Taylor: Danse Negre from "African Suite" Coleridge-Taylor: Valse de la Rheine from "Four Characteristic Waltzes" Dvořák: The Wild Dove Elgar: Enigma Variations Faure: Pellèas et Mélisande Grieg: Symphonic Dances (Movement 1) Handel: Harp Concerto Op. 4 No. 6 Haydn: Symphony No. 100 "Military" (movements 1 & 3) Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 Rossini: Overture to Italian in Algiers Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 (Movement 1) "Little Russian" John Corigliano: Elegy Steven Bryant: The Machine Awakes John Williams: Star Wars: Suite for Orchestra (Movement 3) |
| Youth Camerata |
| The Youth Camerata caters to students mostly in middle school and high school and contains wind, strings, and percussion players who are building individual performance skills and ensemble playing techniques designed to prepare them to join our Youth Symphony program. All musicians should be able to play all major scales, and wind and brass players in this group should be able to double tongue and have knowledge of altissimo. String players should be comfortable playing outside of First Position. The Youth Camerata performs throughout the year at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Facilities as well as in communities in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. The Youth Camerata meets on Tuesdays, 6:00-8:15 pm. |
| Youth Philharmonic |
| The Youth Philharmonic provides intermediate students with the opportunity to refine the skills they developed in the Youth Ensemble. Students will learn appropriate etiquette for playing in an orchestra, expand their knowledge of orchestral repertoire, and further develop their skills in following a conductor and blending with other instruments in the orchestra. String players will focus on proper bow techniques, while wind and brass players will work on strengthening their breath control. The Youth Philharmonic performs three times per year at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Facilities in Uptown Charlotte. The Youth Philharmonic meets on Tuesdays, 5:45-7:45 pm. |
| Youth Ensemble |
| The Youth Ensemble is a training ensemble designed to bridge early music education with the Intermediate and Advanced Youth Orchestras. The Youth Ensemble will be an introduction to music ensemble learning and provide regular coaching by our Charlotte Symphony musicians and conducting staff. This group does not require an audition, but musicians should have a fundamental knowledge of their instrument. String players should be able to play at Suzuki Book 2 or higher. Wind and brass players should have at least one year of instruction on their instrument. The Youth Ensemble meets on Saturdays, 1:30-3:00 pm. |
Our Conductors
Christopher James Lees
CSYO Principal Conductor & CSO Resident Conductor
Currently on sabbatical for the 2024-25 season, Christopher James Lees serves as the Resident Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony and has 15 years of experience conducting secondary, university, and honors-level orchestras all across the country. In addition to his extensive professional work, he also has served on the college faculties of the University of Michigan, Kent State University, and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. >> Read More
The Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra Conductor Chair is made possible by a generous gift from The Symphony Guild of Charlotte.
Ian Passmore
Interim Youth Symphony Conductor & Youth Camerata Conductor
Ian Passmore will serve as Interim Conductor of the Charlotte Youth Symphony and conductor of the new Youth Camerata for the 2024-25 season. He completed his Doctorate of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Masters of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Delaware, and Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. This past season, Ian led a program with the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra.>> Read More
Katie Ebert
Youth Philharmonic Co-Conductor
Katie Ebert serves as Co-Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Philharmonic. Mrs. Ebert holds a Bachelor of Music Education and a Bachelor of Music Performance from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah GA, and a Master of Music Education from Western Carolina University. She is the Director of Bands at Cuthbertson Middle School in Waxhaw NC, and she also serves as the Assistant Director of Bands at Cuthbertson High School.
Eric Thompson, III
Youth Philharmonic Co-Conductor & Youth Ensemble Conductor
Eric L. Thompson, III serves as the Conductor for the Charlotte Symphony Youth Ensemble and Co-Conductor of the Charlotte Symphony Youth Philharmonic. He received his Bachelor of Music from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2007 where he held the Robert Ehrman Fellowship. Upon graduation, Eric played double bass with the Charlotte Symphony prior to joining Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
Coaches
We hold sectional rehearsals frequently throughout the year for all CSYO ensembles. These sectionals offer young musicians the chance to receive coaching by Charlotte Symphony musicians and special training on musical aspects and issues unique to their instrument.
Masterclasses
Masterclasses are hosted by the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra Programs -- all are welcome to attend!
Clarinetist Anthony McGill
Saturday, May 17, 2025 | 10:30 AM | Knight TheaterHailed for his "trademark brilliance, penetrating sound and rich character" (The New York Times), clarinetist Anthony McGill is one of classical music's most recognizable and brilliantly multifaceted figures. In addition to his dynamic international solo and chamber music career, McGill is principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic -- the first African-American principal player in the organization's history.
Musical America named him the 2024 Instrumentalist of the Year. He is the recipient of the 2020 Avery Fisher Prize, one of classical music's most significant awards given in recognition of soloists who represent the highest level of musical excellence. McGill was honored to take part in the 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama, premiering a piece written for the occasion by John Williams and performing alongside violinist Itzhak Perlman, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and pianist Gabriela Montero. He earned his first GRAMMY® nomination for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for his album American Stories with the Pacifica Quartet (Cedille).
Cellist Andrea Casarrubios
Saturday, April 26, 2025 | 10:30 AM | Bryant Recital Hall - CPCCPraised by The New York Times for having "traversed the palette of emotions" with "gorgeous tone and an edge-of-seat intensity," GRAMMY® nominated Spanish-born cellist and composer Andrea Casarrubios has played as a soloist and chamber musician throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. First Prize winner of numerous international competitions and awards, Casarrubios has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Beijing National Center for the Performing Arts, Madrid National Auditorium, and the Ravinia and Verbier Festivals.
As a guest soloist, Casarrubios expanded her own MIRAGE Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, a large-scale work that she premiered with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in 2025.
Contact Us
For more information about Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestras, please contact us at csyo@charlottesymphony.org or 704-714-5131.
