St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra Spring Concert

The St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra takes the stage at Powell Hall on Friday, April 2, 2027, for their Spring Concert. It's one of three concerts they play each season, alongside their annual Forest Park performance and their Concerts for Kids series. Samuel Hollister is conducting, and he's been leading the YO since 2024, when he also took on the role of Music Director for The Fred M. Saigh Youth Orchestra. He's also an Assistant Conductor with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

If you're not familiar with the YO, it's an auditioned ensemble of about 100 musicians, all between the ages of 12 and 22. It was founded in 1970 by SLSO Conductor Laureate Leonard Slatkin, and it's grown into the region's premier training orchestra, with more than 2,000 alumni—many of whom have gone on to make music their career. The players get coaching from SLSO musicians and take part in the SLSO's Peer to Peer mentorship program, so there's a direct line between the youth orchestra and the professional one.

One thing to watch for: the YO Concerto Competition awards one musician the chance to play a full concerto on either the Spring Concert or the Season Finale, so there's a good chance you'll hear a soloist step out from the ensemble. The orchestra describes its environment as respectful and supportive, and it offers financial assistance and merit-based scholarships to its members.

The concert is on Friday, April 2, at Powell Hall, part of the Jack C. Taylor Music Center in St. Louis. Samuel Hollister conducts.