Metropolitan Youth Symphony


Metropolitan Youth Symphony is a youth orchestra organization in Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Founded in 1974 by Lajos Balogh with just a handful of students, it is now one of the largest youth orchestra groups in the country. It has about 500 students, twelve conductors and fourteen ensembles with multiple experience levels.
The symphony accepts young musicians of school ages kindergarten through early college and all levels of experience. The primary goal is to challenge students to learn and perform music in a friendly and rewarding atmosphere.
Metropolitan Youth Symphony's current Music Director is Costa Rican-born conductor and violinist Raúl Gómez.
MYS ensembles include:
Metropolitan Youth Symphony ensembles present a dozen public concerts each year in the Portland metropolitan area. In addition, it serves schools throughout Oregon with an outreach music program that visits up to twenty public schools each year.