Welcome to the Idaho Falls Symphony Youth Orchestra Program
See our youth activities, family programs, and orchestral opportunities below.
Congratulations Sydney Stuart
Season 73 IFSYO Concerto Competition Winner
Sydney Stuart has been expressing herself through music since age 5 when she started playing the piano, but violin has been her true passion since age 8.
Through constant encouragement and support from her parents, Sydney has grown as a musician through consistently practicing her violin. She has been playing with the Idaho Falls Youth Symphony Orchestra since 2017 and is playing her sixth year with them as third chair in the first violin section. She has participated in the Idaho All State Orchestra as principal second violinist and as a first violinist. Sydney has also been classically trained in piano, and occasionally accompanies her school choir. Sydney performs regularly for weddings in the Jackson, Wyoming region.
Sydney is also the current Distinguished Young Woman of Blackfoot and has won multiple awards for her violin performances at the local and state level. She has studied with Idaho Falls Symphony Concertmaster Emma Rubinstein for six years.
Sydney plans to continue her pursuits as a violinist throughout college and the rest of her life. She loves sharing her joy of music with others through frequently performing and teaching violin, piano, and ukulele at Snake River Strings Co. in Blackfoot. She also enjoys reading, art, traveling, going to museums, and learning.
Idaho Falls Symphony Youth Orchestra
The Idaho Falls Youth Symphony was founded in 1989 by conductor Eric Wenstrom as the Eastern Idaho Youth Symphony and was later incorporated into the Idaho Falls Symphony Society. The purpose of the Youth Symphony is to provide young musicians a positive, educational, and fulfilling experience as members of a full orchestra.
The Youth Symphony also seeks to enhance area school music programs by providing an experience that will challenge the students’ developing musical skills. The Youth Symphony holds an annual concerto competition for student soloists, has commissioned new works for full orchestra, and has featured noted guest artists over the years.
Idaho Falls Symphony Preparatory String Orchestra
The Idaho Falls Preparatory String Orchestra was founded in 2019 to respond to the number of string students in the community with an interest in performing with the Youth Symphony. During its inaugural season, under the direction of Idaho Falls Symphony violinist Annalee Kelly, the group started with roughly thirty-six students.
Now the students are back in person under Annalee’s baton! The ensemble is designed to focus on building technique and ensemble skills, and to strengthen the musical and interpretation skills that are essential to the advanced Youth Orchestra.
IFS Youth Orchestra (IFSYO) Music Director Christine Hutchings
Preparatory String Orchestra (PSO) Conductor Annalee Kelly
Education Manager Melanie Mallard
Support for the Idaho Falls Symphony Youth Orchestra Program comes from these generous supporters:
The William J. and Shirley A. Maeck Family Foundation
The Idaho Commission on the Arts with support from the National Foundation for the Arts
Idaho Environmental Coalition
Idaho National Laboratories managed by the Battelle Energy Alliance
Carrie & Christian Shull
Carol Ormond