Great Falls
Youth Orchestra Programs
Compare our Programs
Program | Youth Orchestra | Sinfonia | Chamber Music |
|---|---|---|---|
Director | Kyara Nelsen | Lisa Shull | Members of the Cascade Quartet, the Great Falls Symphony, and other local professionals |
Age Group | 9th – 12th Grades | 6th – 9th Grades | All Ages |
Private Lessons Required
(Scholarships Available) | Yes | No | No |
Tuition | $130 per semester or $225 the whole year if paid by October 31st | $110 per semester or $175 for the whole year if paid by October 31st | $75 per semester |
Sibling Discount Available | $10 off after one student is enrolled at full price | $10 off after one student is enrolled at full price | $10 off after one student is enrolled at full price |
Tuition Waivers Available | Yes | Yes | No |
Audition Requirements | One-Time Membership Audition
Semesterly Seating-Placement Auditions | One-Time Membership Audition
Semesterly Seating-Placement Auditions | None |
Meeting Times | 4:00pm – 6:00pm on Sundays | 2:30pm – 3:30pm on Sundays | Varies: 1-hour coaching sessions between 1:00pm – 5:00pm on Sundays |
Fall Concert Date (2025) | Sunday, November 16th
3:00pm
Mansfield Theater | Sunday, November 16th
3:00pm
Mansfield Theater | Friday, November 14th
7:00pm
Great Falls Alliance for Youth |
Spring Concert Date (2026) | Sunday, March 29th
3:00pm
Mansfield Theater | Sunday, March 29th
3:00pm
Mansfield Theater | Friday, March 27th
7:00pm
Great Falls Alliance for Youth |
Learn More
Our Mission
The mission of the Great Falls Symphony Association's Youth Orchestra is to cultivate the value of excellence and a spirit of cooperation in young musicians through the pursuit of music education and artistic achievement.
Committed to the principles of access and comprehensive inclusiveness, the GFYO is dedicated to equipping young musicians of all demographics with opportunities to develop confidence, discernment, teamwork and leadership skills necessary for success in their future endeavors. By using music as a medium, strong friendships with like-minded students are built throughout North Central Montana.
Music plays a powerful role in promoting academic excellence and developing discipline. These were motivating factors in the Great Falls Symphony Association’s decision to establish a Youth Orchestra program in 1997. The Great Falls Youth Orchestra Program now serves an average of 100 young musicians each year ages 12 to 19 years from numerous local public, private and home schools, as well as schools in communities outside Great Falls, and as far away as Helena and Lewistown.
