Corpus Christi Youth Orchestra Program

09/19/2026

Attention participants for the 2026-2027 season!

All groups start tomorrow! If you haven’t registered yet, please do! Registration is what we will use for email communication throughout the semester. The registration link is still active and can be found in previous posts. Below is the weekly schedule for the semester (exact dates will be given tomorrow at rehearsals).

ALL REHEARSALS are at TAMU-CC in the Center for the Arts Building (first floor)

Cello/Bass Choirs: 2:30-3:30 (CA 136)
- Carrie Pierce, director

Low Brass Choir: 2:30-3:30 (CA 127)
- Rai Morales, director

Sinfonietta: 3:30-5:00 (CA 136)
- Sungho Jung and Carrie Pierce, directors

Youth Orchestra: 4:00-6:00 (CA 127)
- Brian Shelton, director

If you have questions, please feel free to send a message or comment!

Please come prepared with your instruments and a pencil! Looking forward to an exciting semester of music-making!

09/14/2026

50+ NEW STUDENTS AUDITIONED — and there’s still time to join us!

We were absolutely thrilled to welcome more than 50 new students to CCAYO auditions last week, and we’re getting ready for an incredible 2026–2027 season!

Missed auditions? It’s not too late! Late registration is still open. 🎻🎺🎶

CCAYO is a FREE youth music program, and we welcome string and wind students interested in joining one of our four ensembles:

🎻 Cello/Bass Choirs
🎺 Low Brass Choir
🎶 Sinfonietta
🎼 Youth Orchestra

Our first rehearsals begin next week, and we would love to have you join us!

No tuition. Great music. New friends. A place to grow.

Directors: Carrie Pierce • Brian Shelton • Rai Morales • Sungho Jung

✨ Late registration is open — come make music with us!

08/04/2026

Hello!

It is hard to believe it is already August! That means we are getting ready for the 2026-2027 CCAYO season. Last year was a tremendous success, and we are looking forward to an even better year upcoming.

The registration link is now open. Everyone who plans to participate needs to register so we can prepare music and seating charts. The link is:

https://forms.gle/G7JQSiSWYjMA4Rn38

If you have graduated high school or do not plan to participate this fall, this is the only email you will receive. We will create a new email list based on the new registrations.

Auditions are September 12-13. There was some confusion last year about who needs to audition, so these are players we need to hear:

1. New members who did not participate in CCAYO during the 2025-2026 season.
2. Returning members who want to be considered for principal players in their sections. This includes strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion.

If you are returning but do not want to audition for principal, then you only need to register. The first rehearsal is September 20.

If you have any questions, you can contact us here, or you can reach out to the individual directors at their emails below.

Enjoy the rest of your summer and we will see you in September!

Musically,
Dr. Carrie Pierce, Sinfonietta and Cello Choir ([email protected])
Dr. Brian Shelton, Symphony Orchestra ([email protected])
Dr. Rai Morales, Low Brass Ensemble ([email protected])
Dr. Sungho Jung, Sinfonietta
Corpus Christi Area Youth Orchestra

Auditions are for ensemble placement. All students who wish to participate will be placed in an ensemble. Every member should complete the registration form. The only students who need to audition are: 1. New members who have not previously performed with a CCAYO ensemble. 2. Returning members who w...

06/20/2026

The CCSO and TAMU-CC Trombone Studio have a special opportunity for learning and growth coming up this week. We would like to invite all low brass students in the Coastal Bend area to attend this FREE masterclass on Thursday, June 25, at 1:00 p.m. in the TAMU-CC Performing Arts Center.

Noah Urquidi is a Corpus Christi native, a graduate of Ray High School, and a proud alumnus of the CCAYO programs. He is currently studying bass trombone with Blair Bollinger at the Curtis Institute of Music.

To reserve your spot for this masterclass and the opportunity to work with Noah Urquidi, email [email protected].

Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Thank you!

05/26/2026

It’s not too late to sign up for camp! Here is a list of our amazing string faculty this year 🙂 We are so excited to welcome back some super stars from last year, and welcome two new faculty! Commuter and residential spots are still available. We hope you will join us for an amazing week of string making!

05/18/2026

Good news! The CCSO is once again providing scholarship money for summer music camps. Here is how the process works:

Enroll in and pay for the camp. Make sure you have a copy of the receipt.
Go to: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsGaLdb6b7veYr_jNDXupq-8bdOLPSKLRbaUdfGZfpODLiLA/viewform
Fill out the information. At the bottom, attach the receipt.
You may also attach a brochure or webpage from the camp, or provide a description in the application.

04/26/2026

Today is the final rehearsal day for all groups!!! Please plan on attending your rehearsals today to prepare for our spring concert!
Below is the concert information.
PLEASE NOTE: all rehearsals next week are at Veteran's Memorial High School. Today is the last day we will meet at TAMU-CC. Next Sunday, EVERYTHING is at Veteran's Memorial.

CCAYO Spring 2026
Concert Information
Date and Time: 3:00 p.m. Sunday, May 3th
Where: Veteran’s Memorial High School
Dress: Black pants or skirt, dress shoes, black top
Rehearsal Schedule (AT VETERAN'S MEMORIAL)
***Please arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled rehearsal time***

12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Youth Orchestra
12:40 - 1:10 p.m. Low Brass Choir
1:20 – 1:50 p.m. Cello Choirs
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. Sinfonietta
3:00 p.m. - CONCERT!

Thank you for a wonderful season! Please join us for TAMU-CC Music Camp!! (June15-19)

Music Camp June 15-19, 2026 Camp Dates 9:00 AM-9:00 PM Time $375 for commuters Registration Fee $625 for resident campers Registration Fee Registration Opens March 2 (click here) The Islander Music Camp is a week of music-making and fun! The Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Islander Band Camps o...

04/19/2026

We have two rehearsal weeks left until our spring concert on May 3, 2026! Please plan on attending this week and next week, as every minute of rehearsal is essential. Below is the concert information. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

CCAYO Spring 2026
Concert Information

Date and Time: 3:00 p.m. Sunday, May 3th, 2026
Where: Veteran’s Memorial High School (auditorium)
Dress: Black pants or skirt, dress shoes, black top

Rehearsal Schedule
***Please arrive 10 minutes before your scheduled rehearsal time***

12:00 – 12:30 p.m. Youth Orchestra
12:40 - 1:10 p.m. Low Brass Choir
1:20 – 1:50 p.m. Cello Choirs
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. Sinfonietta

Thank you for a wonderful season! Please join us for TAMU-CC Music Camp!! (June 15-19)

Music Camp June 15-19, 2026 Camp Dates 9:00 AM-9:00 PM Time $375 for commuters Registration Fee $625 for resident campers Registration Fee Registration Opens March 2 (click here) The Islander Music Camp is a week of music-making and fun! The Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Islander Band Camps o...

04/18/2026

6 of our CCAYO brass students were selected to participate in a side-by-side concert with the Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra tonight! Big congratulations to:

Randall Shelton - horn
Evynne Cowan - horn
Ben Castaneda - trumpet
Trevor Ledbetter - tenor trombone
Rai Morales II - bass trombone

This selection is a huge honor, and we are so proud of them!

Come see them perform (and say hi!) on three pieces tonight with the CCSO!

03/04/2026

Participants in the CCAYO programs are eligible to receive two complimentary tickets to this Saturday’s CCSO concert! Come listen to some beautiful music and join in on the fun! Link to registration is below:

March 7, 2026 Concert Each student will receive up to 4 complimentary tickets for the performance at 7:30 p.m. in the H-E-B Hall in the Performing Arts Center on the TAMU-CC Campus. Requests must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. Friday, February 27. Late requests will not be considered.