Mission
The mission of the Chattanooga Youth Symphony is to provide youth with a music community that offers the finest orchestral training and performance opportunities, and cultivates lifelong professional skills and arts advocacy.
DEAI Statement
Diversity, Equity, Access & Inclusion
CYS subscribes to the philosophy and practices of the CSO. Music continues to be a vehicle to bring our communities together in the ongoing effort to end systemic racism, discrimination, and injustice. We believe that our staff, musicians, and patrons deserve respect and inclusive of race, religion, socio-economic status, sexuality, and gender identity. We pledge to center the discussion of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion throughout our operations and activities.
History
In 1949, a group of Chattanooga Symphony musicians decided that students needed the opportunity to perform in a full orchestra. The Chattanooga Civic Training Orchestra (CCTO) was founded under the umbrella of the Chattanooga Philharmonic Association, which included the Civic Chorus under the baton of Joseph Hawthorne. Peter Rickett, assistant conductor of the Chattanooga Philharmonic Orchestra, was named conductor of the new Chattanooga Civic Training Orchestra. Rehearsals were held at Chattanooga High School on East Third Street (now Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences (CSAS).
Over a period of ten years, the popularity of the training orchestra made it one of the top orchestras in the area. There was no age limit and capable players of any age interested in increasing their knowledge of the orchestral literature were welcome.
The orchestra was reorganized in 1955 as the Chattanooga Youth Training Orchestra (CYTO), supported jointly by the Chattanooga Symphony and the Chattanooga Public School System. For the next 25 years, the orchestra flourished under the direction of conductors from both the professional orchestra sector and the music education sector, including Chris Xeros, Thomas Beck, Thomas Hall, Robert Crane, Jay Craven, Frank Witherspoon, Richard Cormier and James Stroud.
After several years’ absence in the early 1980s, the orchestra was reorganized as the Chattanooga Youth Orchestra in 1985. Mary Barker, Chairman of the Education Committee of the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Association Board, worked with local music educators Linda Pennebaker, Kay Smith, Sandy Morris, and interested parents, including Linda Thompson, to discuss and implement ways to revive interest in a youth orchestra. Orlo Gilbert, director of the Southern College Symphony Orchestra, was the first conductor of the reorganized group. This group started as a string orchestra and grew to include wind and percussion instruments. Mr. Gilbert, along with the Chattanooga Youth Orchestra Board members, was able to build the membership to 80 musicians. The “premier performance” was presented on November 18, 1986, at the CSAS.
In the fall of 1987, Philip Rice was named Assistant Conductor of the Chattanooga Symphony and conductor of the Chattanooga Symphony Youth Orchestra (renamed to recognize the Chattanooga Symphony for its sponsorship). Rehearsals and performances were held at the School for the Performing Arts at Chattanooga High School until 1991.
Jay M. Craven took up the baton once again in 1988. An ensemble program was added, as well as sectional rehearsals with members of the CSO Orchestra. Jay Craven retired at the end of the 1992 season, and David Conn took up the baton.
In 1993, the baton was passed to Gary Wilkes. Under his direction a second full orchestra was added. Sandy Morris was hired as the conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra in 1998.
Recognizing the need for a string training orchestra, the Etude Orchestra was added in 2000. Nichole (Graham) Pitts was hired as the conductor. A second string orchestra, the Prelude Orchestra, was added in 2006, with Nichole Pitts also as conductor. Floy Wang, became the conductor of the Etude and Prelude orchestras in the second half of the 2015-2016 season. Amy Shannon took up the baton after Floy in 2016.
Membership in 2010 grew to 190 as the Youth Symphony celebrated its 25th anniversary. The crowning event was the Midori Residency, an honor shared by only one other youth orchestra in the nation that season.
In 2015, the Youth Symphony celebrated its 30th anniversary season with a host of alumni celebrations and performances. Alumni soloists included Dr. Shannon Thomas, Professor of Violin at Florida State University, Josh Holritz, Associate Concert-Master of the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, Graduate Musicians Sarah Ransom, bassist, Konstantine Vlasis, timpanist, performing a concerto composed by alumnus composer Lucas Garner, Doctoral Musician at James Madison University.
At the beginning of the 2019-2020 season, Gary Wilkes announced his retirement in the spring of 2020. Ismael Sandoval was hired as CSOYO Symphony Conductor and also Assistant Conductor of the CSO starting in June of 2020.
Near the end of the 2021-2022 season, Sandy Morris announced her retirement. A celebration in honor of Sandy and Gary’s years of services were held at the 2022 Spring Concert. Paul Vest was hired as the Youth Symphony Assistant Conductor and Ismael became the Youth Symphony Music Director starting in August of 2022. In March of 2023 the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera Youth Symphony Orchestras (CSOYO) became the Chattanooga Youth Symphony (CYS).