Youth Symphony

Click here for Conductor’s Messages

Rehearsals will be held on Monday evenings from 6:15 pm – 8:45 pm. Musicians are expected to arrive and be prepared to rehearse 15 minutes prior to start time.

FALL QUARTER 2025 DETAILS

Rehearsals	Fall Quarter Dates
Mondays from 6:15 – 8:45 pm	9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, 11/3, 11/17
	There is no rehearsal on 11/10 (Veteran’s Day).

Rehearsal Location	Drop Off/ Pick Up
Odle Middle School	Plan on prompt drop off and pick up to avoid
502 143rd Ave NE	congestion.
Bellevue, WA 98007

Retreat Location	Time & Date
Odle Middle School	Saturday, September 27
502 143rd Ave NE	12:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Bellevue, WA 98007

Concert	Time & Date
Benaroya Hall	Sunday, November 23 @ 3:00 pm
200 University St.	ALL DAY. Exact details will be posted here
Seattle, WA 98101	at a later date.

Student Checklist

Bring a music stand
Bring a pencil
Print your sheet music prior to first rehearsal (using link at top of this page) and bring with you to rehearsal
Arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of rehearsal to ensure you are in your chair and ready to play at the start of rehearsal
Have fun!

ATTENDANCE POLICY FOR LAST REHEARSAL BEFORE THE CONCERT

Students who miss the final Monday night rehearsal before a concert (regardless of the first or second absence) may be required to submit a video recording of the seating audition excerpts (posted on the Youth page of the BYSO website) in order to be deemed eligible to participate in the concert.

Mr. Salvaggio will communicate whether a video recording is required or not to the student on Tuesday. If a test is required, the student must submit it no later than 11:59 PM Thursday evening. Mr. Salvaggio will review the submissions Friday morning and notify the student and parents of the results.

Failure to submit a video may result in the student being disqualified from playing in the concert.

Videos may be sent to Mr. Salvaggio by uploading to Youtube, Google Drive, or Dropbox. Please make sure you have adjusted the sharing settings appropriately, so the video is accessible.

For more details about the absence policy, please see the BYSO Student Handbook.

About

Youth Symphony is the most advanced ensemble in the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra organization. The typical student in Youth Symphony has had significant private instruction as well as school and extra-curricular ensemble experience. Youth Symphony members must have a high degree of technical proficiency and must enjoy challenge.

Youth Symphony provides a chance for advanced students to tackle the works of the great masters as well as new music composed especially for them. Past works performed include Sibelius’s Symphony No. 2, Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique.

Recent Performance of Youth Symphony

Conductor: Matthew Salvaggio

Conductor Matthew Salvaggio is a dynamic artist dedicated to exploring and promoting new music, reimagining diverse orchestral performance experiences, and creating equitable access to music education. He founded Cleveland Repertory Orchestra in 2021 to explore thebreadth of the orchestral repertoire, with an emphasis on new music and music by historically excluded voices. Additionally, the 2023/24 season marks his first season as Music Director and Conductor of the Bellevue Youth Symphony Orchestra, where he conducts the top-tier Youth Orchestra and manages a team of eight conductors responsible for leading the other BYSO ensembles. Committed to increasing access to music education, in 2022 Matt announced an initiative to expand the Erie Junior Philharmonic’s Prelude program for beginning students to include opportunities for beginning woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. In 2019, he established the Tom Baker Young Artists Competition with the Euclid Symphony Orchestra. The annual competition, which has attracted students from throughout the Midwest, awards the winner a concerto performance opportunity with the ESO and a cash prize. An advocate for new music, Matt has commissioned works for band and orchestra with his ensembles, and his artistic collaborations include members of the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Erie Philharmonic, and more. Upon the conclusion of the 2022/23 season, Matt completed several successful Music Directorships, including six seasons with the Euclid Symphony Orchestra, six seasons with the University Heights Symphonic Band, and two seasons with the Erie Junior Philharmonic. He has previously served on the faculty at Mercyhurst University, Hiram College, and Lakeland Community College. Learn more.

Contact Matthew Salvaggio at musicdirector@byso.org

Messages from the Conductor

2025-2026 Youth Symphony Season Repertoire

Fall Quarter (Sunday, November 23, 2025 at Benaroya Hall)
Paul Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber

Winter Quarter (Sunday, March 15, 2026 at Meydenbauer Center)
TBD: Concerto Competition Winner
Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 8

Spring Quarter (Monday, May 18, 2026 at Bastyr University)
Pyotr Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet
Sergei Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 1
Sergei Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2

Welcome to Youth Symphony!

Dear BYSO Youth Students,

If you are reading this message, then congratulations on making it into Youth Symphony! I’m looking forward to making music with you this season. On this page, you will find information for the seating and part assignments for the first rehearsal, as well as the excerpts for seating auditions, which will take place during our retreat on Saturday, September 27.

You must be present at the retreat to participate in seating auditions for the quarter. No makeup opportunities will be offered for those unable to attend the retreat.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions (musicdirector@byso.org). If you are a returning student, I’m looking forward to seeing you again. If you’re a new student to Youth Symphony, I’m looking forward to meeting you!

Mr. Salvaggio

Fall 2025 Seating Auditions
All excerpts should be from the FIRST part of your section.