Metropolitan Youth Orchestra MYO Spring Concert

The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra takes the stage at the Hilbert Circle Theatre on Sunday, April 18, at 3 PM. It's their spring concert, and if you're not familiar with who they are, it's worth knowing what's happening behind the music. The MYO is a youth and family development program run by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and it's been going for 30 years. The whole thing is built around developing life skills through rehearsing and performing music in a safe, inclusive environment led by expert faculty.

What makes the program stand out is how much it looks beyond the music stand. It's an intergenerational effort, with more than 200 families participating each year. That community side shows up in the social events—weekly dinners and game nights—that run alongside the rehearsals. The teaching is culturally responsive, and the focus is on making music together across different ages and backgrounds.

And there's a whole second track for the students that has nothing to do with an instrument. They get access to life-skill resources like networking workshops, resume and interview training, financial literacy, and college preparation. There's even a 'Just for Parents' monthly workshop series, so the support extends to the families as well. The concert on the 18th is the public result of all that work.

The performance is at the Hilbert Circle Theatre in Indianapolis on Sunday, April 18, starting at 3 PM.