06/22/2022
June 22, 2022
To Our BYO Community,
We have some exciting news to share about the Billings Youth Orchestra’s next chapter. Effective July 1, 2022, BYO will become a vital part of the Billings Symphony as the Billings Symphony Youth Orchestra. The boards of both organizations voted unanimously to combine the two organizations, a move that will ensure high quality orchestral opportunities for generations of young Billings-area musicians. A formal announcement is planned for June 26 during the organization’s annual Symphony in the Park. The free event begins at 4 p.m. with the Montana Fiddle Club, followed by the Billings Community Band at 5 p.m., and the Billings Symphony will take the stage at 7 p.m., when the announcement will take place. We hope you can join in the festivities.
Following are some responses to questions you may have about Billings Symphony Youth Orchestra going forward. But first, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our BYO community of parents, students, conductors, sponsors and our music-loving public for their ardent support of the BYO and our talented young musicians during the past 16 years.
Warmest Regards,
Stacey Casterline
President – on behalf of the BYO Board of Directors
QUESTIONS & RESPONSES
Why is BYO joining the Billings Symphony?
Since it was founded in 2006, BYO has successfully provided the opportunity for the growth of musically talented Billings-area youth through training and performance of the highest quality orchestral level. BYO students develop a lasting love of orchestral music and many have gone on to perform in the Billings Symphony Orchestra and Choral and in professional orchestras and ensembles throughout the nation.
BYO is now positioned to take the next step in its evolution as the Billings Symphony Youth Orchestra – forming a lasting bond with a highly respected professional orchestral organization.
What are the benefits of this arrangement?
This arrangement will have substantial benefits for BYO, Billings Symphony and the Billings community. The benefits for students include an even wider range of opportunities. For example:
More performances, including with the Billings Symphony Family Concert Series.
Having Billings Symphony members as their instructors and mentors, and access to Billings Symphony guest artists for master classes and other learning experiences.
Access to an expanded base of potential conductors and repertoires.
Opportunities to perform in other types of ensembles.
Participating in state and national youth musician competitions.
Having a permanent “home base” with recital rooms and access to specialized instruments.
The community will have even more opportunities to learn about orchestral music and support their local professional and youth orchestras.
What will this mean for tuition and the audition process?
Tuition will remain extremely affordable. The tuition for the remainder of the 2022 season will be posted on a new Billings Symphony Youth Orchestra webpage. That information will be sent out and publicized later this month. The audition process will also be posted onto the Billings Symphony Youth Orchestra website.
What about the orchestras and conductors? Will they remain the same?
The Billings Symphony Youth Orchestra will continue to have four orchestras and several ensembles. The orchestras are Preludio Strings, for beginning students, Concert, Young Artist and Repertory. The Montana Fiddle Club will also perform at area events.
BYO has been extremely fortunate in having experienced, long-term professional conductors throughout its history and all four of the current conductors are also Billings Symphony musicians. All have been invited to remain with the Billings Symphony Youth Orchestra.
For more information, contact: [email protected]
