We Are the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra.

The Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra is a non-profit organization established to provide a positive and stimulating musical environment for students. BYSO uniquely complements and builds upon both school music programs and private instruction. BYSO encourages the development of musical skills and self-confidence, as participants in all ensembles rehearse orchestral literature which appropriately challenges their skills.

We have the right orchestra for YOU!

For over 44 years our program has provided instrumental music experience to match the ability levels of talented youth from early elementary grades through their college years.

Our season begins with the fall retreat. After auditions are completed and orchestra placements have been made, this retreat brings the students together to form friends and tackle the music.

Season Highlights this year will include three showcase concerts for each orchestra, two holiday concerts and one or two performances per orchestra at Crossroads of Bellevue.  In addition, there may be a few guest performances for our groups - but we'll give you plenty of warning of those.

You can visit our weekly rehearsals. BYSO conductors and staff treat students as the serious musicians they are, yet they also treat them as the fun "kids" they are, too.

History

Frances Walton, a music educator from the Issaquah School District, founded BYSO in 1964. 

The organization was the consolidation of the Mercer Island Strings and the Highline Youth Symphony and was formed to actualize the parents’ desire for a full orchestra experience for their young musicians. It was known at first as the Eastlake Youth Symphony, then for more than twenty years as the Olympic Youth Symphony. 

Mrs. Walton stepped down from her position as Music Director in 1986.  In 1993, the name changed to the Eastside Youth Symphonies and in 1994 the Bellevue Eastside Youth Symphonies.

In 1993, a group of concerned parents and dedicated teachers in the Lake Washington School District organized the Eastlake Community Youth Symphony Orchestras.   The core group for ECYSO was the Redmond-based Sammamish Junior String Orchestra, founded by Linda Joyce.  In 1994, the organization was renamed Youth Philharmonic Northwest. 

In 1999, the Bellevue Eastside Youth Symphonies and Youth Philharmonic Northwest merged to create The Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Kathleen Macferran served as music director from 1992-1994, Alan Futterman from 1994-2001, and Adam Stern from 2001-2005.  Our current Music Director, Dr. Teresa Metzger Howe began as conductor of the Premiere Orchestra in 2001, and became Music Director and Youth Symphony conductor in 2005.  Our Executive Director Ruth Brewster has served since 1993.

Legal Status

The Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra is an independent non-profit organization complying with section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code.  Our tax ID# is 91-1630589. 
BYSO is also a unit of Thalia Allied Artists (TAA).  TAA was organized in 1952 and is comprised of Thalia Symphony, Philharmonia Northwest, and Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra. 
BYSO shares with these performing organizations the Scheremetiew Music Library. Now housed at Seattle Pacific University, it is the largest privately owned music library in the Northwest.

Thanks

The redesign of our website could not have been completed without the support of the BYSO Board, particularly William Horton and Jeffrey Keith, and our team of testers.

The Audition Scheduler tool was created and adapted for the new site by Alexander Stockdale.
The re-design project was coordinated by Caroline Renard.
BYSO is extremely grateful to both of them for giving their time and skills so willingly to help us out.

Thanks also to Sheila Hoffman of Hoffman Graphics for all her work on our previous website.