Craig Madole, program director
The Vanderbilt Youth Orchestras have been an integral part of the Blair Academy since 1972. Comprising eight orchestras, the program draws outstanding young musicians from throughout Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. The Vanderbilt Youth Orchestras are open by audition to students in the 3rd through the 12th grades. The VYO provides a high-quality orchestral experience at all levels, in addition to a fun, supportive and challenging learning environment. Members of the VYO study with professional conductors and coaches from the Blair School of Music faculty and the Nashville Symphony. Students accepted for membership are encouraged to be in good standing with their school's music instrumental music programs.
Curb Youth Symphony
Ernesto Estigarribia Mussi, Artistic Director and Conductor
Beginning in Fall 2024, Ernesto Estigarribia Mussi, director of orchestral studies at Blair School of Music, began his tenure as the new artistic director and onductor of the Curb Youth Symphony. With a diverse experience conducting professional, collegiate, and youth orchestras, Estigarribia Mussi brings a new level of artistic and pedagogical intensity to the orchestra’s experience to propel the prestigious and esteemed ensemble to become a world-class youth symphony. Expanding collaboration with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and Blair artist-teaching faculty, the Curb Youth Symphony will also receive a more extensive and comprehensive sectional coaching experience. This is the most advanced orchestra in the VYO program and draws students from all over the region. As the presenting orchestra for the Blair Curb Concerto Competition and collaborating Orchestra for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra side-by-side performance, concerts will be held at Blair and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Rehearsals are 6:35-9:05pm, Mondays. The first rehearsal for Spring 2025 will be January 6. Tuition is $339 per semester. Need-based financial aid is available. For more information, contact Craig Madole.
Read more about audition requirements for Curb Youth Symphony.
Philharmonia Orchestra
Craig Madole, Director of Vanderbilt Youth Orchestras Program and Philharmonia Conductor
The Philharmonia is a full orchestra (woodwinds, brass, percussion, harp and strings) of outstanding young musicians performing masterpieces of standard orchestral literature. Membership is open to students by audition and recommendation from a private teacher. Philharmonia will perform each semester and have other opportunities to perform such as the We Are Nashville Festival at the Schermerhorn. Audition requirements are the same as for the Curb Youth Symphony. Sectionals are provided by Blair faculty, Nashville Symphony members and guest artist coaches. Rehearsals are 2-4:30pm, Sundays. The first rehearsal for Spring 2025 will be January 12. Tuition is $319 per semester. Need-based financial aid is available. For more information, contact Craig Madole.
Read more about audition requirements for Philharmonia Orchestra.
Repertory Orchestra
Tiffany Turner, director
Repertory Orchestra is a full orchestra experience (woodwinds, brass, percussion, strings) with students performing arrangements of standard orchestral and engaging educational repertoire. This ensemble is open to students by audition and recommendation from a private instructor. Sectional experiences are provided by members of the Nashville Symphony, Blair faculty and guest artist coaches. Rehearsals are 6:30-8:45pm, Tuesdays. The first rehearsal for Spring 2025 will be January 21. Tuition is $309 per semester. Need-based financial aid is available. For more information, contact Tiffany Turner.
Read more about audition requirements for the Repertory Orchestra.
Youth Strings Orchestra and Reading Orchestra
Consisting of the Youth String Orchestra, Reading Orchestra, and Beginning Reading Orchestra, these ensembles are open to violin, viola, cello, and string bass students by audition and recommendation of the private instructor.
The Youth Strings Orchestra provides training for string students with increased technical practice and more refined bow technique, and progressing repertoire. The experience helps prepare students to audition into the Nashville Youth Repertory Orchestra. This ensemble meets for one 60-minute session weekly. It is open to all string students by audition and recommendation of the private instructor. Students have typically progressed into Suzuki Volume 3. Ensembles perform a concert each semester and meet on Tuesday evenings. The first rehearsal for Spring 2025 will be January 21. Tuition is $259 per semester. Need-based financial aid is available. For more information, contact Aurora Foster.
The Reading Orchestra focuses on strengthening string students' music-reading skills while introducing fundamentals of orchestral playing and music theory. This ensemble meets for one 45-minute session weekly. It is open to all string students by audition and recommendation of the private instructor. Students have typically progressed into Suzuki Volume 2. Ensembles perform a concert each semester and meet on Tuesday evenings. The first rehearsal for Spring 2025 will be January 21. Tuition is $259 per semester. Need-based financial aid is available. For more information, contact Aurora Foster.
The Beginning Reading Orchestra focuses on building string students’ emerging music-reading skills in a string orchestra environment. This ensemble performs each semester and meets for one 45-minute session weekly. It is open to all string students by audition and recommendation of the private instructor. Students have typically progressed through most of Suzuki Volume 1. Ensembles perform a concert each semester and meet on Tuesday evenings. The first rehearsal for Spring 2025 will be January 21. Tuition is $259 per semester. Need-based financial aid is available. For more information, contact Aurora Foster.
Read more about audition requirements for the Youth Strings and Reading Orchestra.
VYO Orchestras
VYO: Repertory Orchestra
Repertory Orchestra is a full orchestra experience (woodwinds, brass, percussion, strings) with students performing arrangements of standard orchestral and engaging educational repertoire. This ensemble is open to students by audition and recommendation from a private instructor. Sectional experiences are provided by members of the Nashville Symphony, Blair faculty and guest artist coaches. Rehearsals are 6:30-8:45pm, Tuesdays.
VYO: Youth Strings Orchestra
The Youth Strings Orchestra provides training for string students with increased technical practice and more refined bow technique, and progressing repertoire. The experience helps prepare students to audition into the Nashville Youth Repertory Orchestra. This ensemble meets for one 60-minute session weekly. It is open to all string students by audition and recommendation of the private instructor. Students have typically progressed into Suzuki Volume 3. Ensembles perform a concert each semester and meet on Tuesday evenings.
VYO: Reading Orchestra
The Reading Orchestra focuses on strengthening string students' music-reading skills while introducing fundamentals of orchestral playing and music theory. This ensemble meets for one 45-minute session weekly. It is open to all string students by audition and recommendation of the private instructor. Students have typically progressed into Suzuki Volume 2. Ensembles perform a concert each semester and meet on Tuesday evenings.
VYO: Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia is a full orchestra (woodwinds, brass, percussion, harp and strings) of outstanding young musicians performing masterpieces of standard orchestral literature. Membership is open to students by audition and recommendation from a private teacher. Philharmonia will perform each semester and have other opportunities to perform such as the We Are Nashville Festival at the Schermerhorn. Audition requirements are the same as for the Curb Youth Symphony. Sectionals are provided by Blair faculty, Nashville Symphony members and guest artist coaches. Rehearsals are 2-4:30pm, Sundays.
VYO: Curb Youth Symphony
The Curb Youth Symphony is the most advanced orchestra in the VYO program and draws students from all over the region. As the presenting orchestra for the Blair Curb Concerto Competition and collaborating Orchestra for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra side-by-side performance, concerts will be held at Blair and the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Rehearsals are 6:35-9:05pm, Mondays. Musicians will also have 3-6 additional sectionals on Sunday evenings.
VYO: Beginning Reading Orchestra
The Beginning Reading Orchestra focuses on building string students’ emerging music-reading skills in a string orchestra environment. This ensemble performs each semester and meets for one 45-minute session weekly. It is open to all string students by audition and recommendation of the private instructor. Students have typically progressed through most of Suzuki Volume 1. Ensembles perform a concert each semester and meet on Tuesday evenings.