Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies

The Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS) is a group of youth orchestras in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. Founded in 1972, GTCYS has served over 16,000 musicians and put on more than 500 concerts. The top orchestra has also traveled on 12 national and international tours.The Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies GTCYS currently features 6 orchestras for young musicians any age through high school.
GTCYS is a youth orchestra program based in Minneapolis that draws over 500 students from eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. It is directed by Amir Kats who also conducts the top orchestra.
==Orchestras==
There are currently six orchestras starting from the rudimentary level. All of the orchestras require an audition which will place the instrumentalist into an orchestra that meets their playing needs. The only exception are the two Summer Orchestras that play and meet during the Summer which do not require an audition. Half way through the Fall/Spring semester there is a Winter Audition for students who wish to participate for the last half of the GTCYS year.
*The first orchestra level is the Philharmonia directed by Mary Sorlie.
This orchestra does not have any Woodwind or brass instruments. Percussion is also excluded.
*Next is Sinfonia conducted by Sarah Chelgren.
This orchestra involves the Brass, Percussion, and Woodwinds.
The auditions are more difficult but you are basically guaranteed this placement for Winds and Percussion.
*The third tier is Concertino. This orchestra is conducted by Barbara Flooding.
This orchestra involves the Brass, Percussion, and Woodwinds.
The auditions now become more difficult and require harder audition pieces and more scales.
The Top three Orchestras are Concert Orchestra (Andrew Bast), Philharmonic (Dr. Jeffrey Stirling), and Symphony (Amir Kats).
ALL orchestras include a full range of Brass, Woodwinds and Percussion and focus on more advanced music with a large range music from contemporary to the classics.
*Concert Orchestra is the lowest of the high, it is conducted by Andrew Bast. This orchestra is the lowest to regularly play unedited works for orchestra.
*Philharmonic (Orchestra) is second only to the Symphony orchestra. In this orchestra, students begin to tackle the more difficult works in the professional orchestral repertoire.
*Symphony (Orchestra) is the most advanced group. It has the most advanced set of music and players. This orchestra has the option to travel internationally.
Concerts have been performed at notable venues in the Twin Cities such as Orchestra Hall and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. GTCYS orchestras have also performed around the world, in such venues as the Sydney Opera House.
==External links==
*http://www.gtcys.org GTCYS website
==References==
Category:American orchestras