Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras

WYSO was founded in 1966 by Dr. Marvin Rabin, a conductor and music pedagogue at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Initially part of its Extension Music Department, the organization then only included one youth orchestra. Rabin would conduct the Youth Orchestra for six years, after which David Nelson continued his work as director.^[4][5][6]

In 1977, two more orchestras, Philharmonia and Concert, were founded. Thomas Buchhauser, a cellist and conductor, was invited to conduct Philharmonia. In 1985, James Smith became the new director of Youth Orchestra, taking the group on its first international tour to the British Isles in 1989.^[7]

In 2013, Buchhauser retired and was succeeded by Michelle Kaebisch. In the year after James Smith's retirement in 2017, Randal Swiggum, the director of the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra in Illinois, stepped in as the interim music director of WYSO. In July 2018, conductor and clarinetist Kyle Knox began his position as the organization's new music director. In 2025, Michelle Kaebisch assumed the position of WYSO executive director after Bridget Fraser stepped away.^{[8][9][1][10]}

• Opus One, a string orchestra for young WYSO members at the beginner level of playing their musical instruments. Directed by Steve Kurr.^[7][11]
• Sinfonietta, a string orchestra of about 65 players that plays music at the middle school level and goes on an in-state tour every year. Directed by Geri Nolden.^[7][11]
• Concert, an orchestra of 80–90 players that plays music at the high school level and goes on an in-state tour every year. Directed by Christine Mata Eckel.^[7][11]
• Philharmonia, an orchestra of 80–90 players that plays at the advanced high school to college level and goes on an in-state tour every year. Directed by Michelle Kaebisch.^[7][11]
• Youth, an orchestra of 80–100 players that plays at the college level and tours internationally every two years in addition to a yearly in-state tour. Directed by Kyle Knox.^[7][11]

• The Brass Choirs, a set of brass ensembles for WYSO members in the upper three orchestras that focuses only on brass repertoire. Directed by Josh Biere.^[2][12]
• The Flute Choir, a flute ensemble for WYSO and non-WYSO flutists that plays flute music from a variety of genres.^[12]
• The Percussion Ensemble, a required ensemble for all WYSO percussionists. Directed by Vicki Peterson Jenks.^[12][13]
• The Harp Ensemble, an ensemble for WYSO harpists focusing on solo, chamber, and orchestral music training. Directed by Jenny DeRoche Christian.^[12]

The WYSO chamber music program is directed by Karl Lavine, and consists of a number of student chamber music groups. These groups are coached by WYSO artistic staff. Two permanent chamber groups are:

• The Lalita Honors Woodwind Quintet, a group of five woodwind players (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn) that performs several recitals a year, is coached by professionals, and has the opportunity to collaborate with guest artists.^[14][15]
• The Pondrom Honors String Quartet, a group of four string players (two violins, viola, cello) that performs several recitals a year, is coached by professional chamber musicians, has the opportunity to perform on Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR), and participates in chamber music competitions.^[14][15]

Founded in 2007, Music Makers is an instrumental music education program within WYSO for underserved students. More than 100 WYSO members participate in it, learning string instruments, guitar, percussion, and music theory. Two recitals are held every year.^[16][17][18]

Each of the five WYSO orchestras gives three concerts a year. These concert series also often include performances by the smaller ensembles.^[19]

The WYSO orchestras originally rehearsed in a large space in the University of Wisconsin–Madison's humanities building. However, in 2019, the university could no longer support WYSO's rehearsals in that location. The orchestra planned for rehearsals would to be held at McFarland High School going forward, but the COVID-19 pandemic and school closures made this impossible.^[2][30]

Between 2020 and 2024, WYSO groups rehearsed in a variety of locations, including the Madison Country Day School cafeteria, classrooms, and under an outdoor tent. In 2021, the organization began plans for a new WYSO building on East Washington Avenue, near the location of Madison's Youth Arts building. In late 2021, a plan for the building was released, featuring a curvy design inspired by the shape of a sideways-laying cello.^[2][30][31]

By mid-January 2024, the new WYSO Center for Music opened and all of WYSO's ensembles moved in. The 40,085 square foot building includes three orchestra rehearsal halls, eight studios, nine individual instrument practice rooms, office space, a music library, as well as a lobby and meeting spaces.^[32][33]

WYSO's Youth Orchestra has historically toured internationally every two years. During the summer between rehearsal seasons, the group travels for 1–2 weeks, playing 3–4 concerts in various cities and venues.^[34][35]