Next Concert: Wednesday 11th February 2026
Applications for the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra 2026-2028 are now open!
Application Deadline: Sunday 15th February
The Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra is Britain’s leading orchestra for young musicians on the threshold of their professional careers. It provides invaluable experience to those who are studying or have recently completed their training, but are not yet established in the profession.
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Unlike many similar organisations in Europe and the USA, this orchestra does not benefit from any government subsidy. We receive no public funding of any sort and are therefore entirely dependent on the generosity of individuals, charitable foundations and corporate sponsors.
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Next auditions
Applications for the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra 2026-2028 are now open.
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Our Influence over the years
There is not an orchestra in the British Isles that doesn’t contain alumni of the YMSO. As a testament to how influential they feel their time at YMSO was, many of them return to the orchestra to tutor at rehearsals and also advise.
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"these students represent the next generation of orchestral musicians who will continue our great classical tradition into the new millennium. The orchestra needs all your encouragement and support."
Lord Menuhin
President 1993-1999
The orchestra’s next concert is less than a week away!
We’re very excited to welcome our fantastic soloist, Kryštof Kohout 🎻
Kryštof Kohout is an award-winning Czech violinist, praised for his profound artistry, expressive virtuosity and dynamic performances as a captivating soloist and insightful chamber musician. Performing widely across Europe and the US, recent highlights include his Carnegie Hall debut recital, Musikverein Vienna, Konzerthaus Berlin, and Zeneakadémia Budapest, as well as festivals such as the Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Edinburgh International Festival.
Kryštof is a laureate of the Bartók World Competition, a recipient of the Musicians‘ Company Silver Medal, and he was recently selected as the sole instrumentalist to join the prestigious Classeek Ambassador Programme. A passionate chamber musician, Kryštof is a founding member of the Fibonacci Quartet, winners of both First and Audience Prizes at the 2024 Premio Paolo Borciani Competition. The Quartet have been selected as YCAT artists, Grands Residents at ProQuartet, and Britten Pears Young Artists.
This season sees Kryštof perform concertos with the BBC Philharmonic, Manchester Camerata, South Czech Philharmonic, and the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic, along with recital debuts at Wigmore Hall and Bridgewater Hall. Upcoming chamber performances take him to Berlin Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Philharmonie de Paris, and the Aldeburgh Festival.
Kryštof studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with David Takeno and has also received an International Artist Diploma from the Royal Northern College of Music. He performs on a Gennaro Gagliano violin, generously loaned to him by the Tompkins Tate Musical Instrument Trust. Kryštof is generously supported by the Drake Calleja Trust, Hattori Foundation, Velehrad Trust, Countess of Munster Trust and the Comenium Musicum Scholarship.
Hear Kryštof perform Sibelius’ Violin Concerto with YMSO at Cadogan Hall on Wednesday 11th February, 7.30pm 🎶
TICKETS ON SALE NOW 🎫:
cadoganhall.com/whats-on/young-musician-symphony-orchestra-chabrier-sibelius-and-elgar/ ... See MoreSee Less
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Just over two weeks to go! 🎉
In the third concert of its 2025/26 season, the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra returns to Cadogan Hall for an evening of music by Chabrier, Sibelius, and Elgar 🎶
The evening opens with Chabrier’s España, a lively work brimming with rhythm and dance. Next, YMSO is joined by Czech violinist Kryštof Kohout in Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, an intimate yet powerful work that balances the virtuosic demands of the soloist with the powerful presence of the orchestra 💃
The second half of the concert features Elgar’s Enigma Variations. Under the direction of conductor James Blair, the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra presents this monumental work that established Elgar as the leading British composer of his generation 🎻
TICKETS ON SALE NOW 🎟️: cadoganhall.com/whats-on/young-musician-symphony-orchestra-chabrier-sibelius-and-elgar/ ... See MoreSee Less
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Just over 4 weeks left to apply for the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra 2026-2028! 🎉
Head over to ymso.org.uk/audition to apply. Applications are open for: Woodwind, Brass, Strings, Harp, Percussion, and Keyboard 🎹
Application deadline: Sunday 15th February 2026 ❗️Happy New Year, one and all!
We are pleased to announce that applications for the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra 2026-2028 are now open! 🎉
Head over to ymso.org.uk/audition to apply. Applications are open for: Woodwind, Brass, Strings, Harp, Percussion, and Keyboard 🎹
Application deadline: Sunday 15th February 2026 ❗️ ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Happy New Year, one and all!
We are pleased to announce that applications for the Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra 2026-2028 are now open! 🎉
Head over to ymso.org.uk/audition to apply. Applications are open for: Woodwind, Brass, Strings, Harp, Percussion, and Keyboard 🎹
Application deadline: Sunday 15th February 2026 ❗️ ... See MoreSee Less
Comment on Facebook
Best training orchestra from 18+ in the world. There is nothing else like it on the planet. There are www.ymso.org.uk/alumni/ alumni in virtually every professional orchestra in the U.K. and they appear in other ensembles too, including abroad.
Gemma Winfield