caption current_members years_active image_size article_title past_members background alt genre image origin name
the organization 's logo '' 2008 -- present -rrb- ` music director '' ' david hattner -lrb- 1924 -- present 300px portland youth philharmonic
 '' ` music directors '' ' jacques gershkovitch -lrb- 1924 -- ` 1953 -rrb- jacob avshalomov -lrb- 1954 -- 1995 -rrb- huw founder edwards -lrb- 1995 -- 2002 -rrb- mei-ann chen -lrb- 2002 '' -- 2007 -rrb- ' mary v. dodge '' classical_ensemble three a letter inside : `` p '' , `` y circles '' , and `` p '' . below the three , circles is the text `` portland youth philharmonic '' . each a different color , with classical file : portland youth philharmonic logo.jpg portland , oregon portland youth philharmonic
portland youth philharmonic

the portland youth philharmonic -lrb- pyp -rrb- is the oldest youth orchestra in the united states , established in 1924 as the portland junior symphony -lrb- pjs -rrb- .
now based in portland , oregon , the orchestra 's origin dates back to 1910 when music teacher mary v. dodge began playing music for local children in burns .
dodge purchased instruments for the children and organized the orchestra which would become known as the sagebrush symphony orchestra .
after touring throughout the u.s. state of oregon , including a performance at the oregon state fair in salem , the orchestra disbanded in 1918 when dodge moved to portland .
there , dodge opened a violin school and became music director of the irvington school orchestra .
hoping to create a permanent youth symphony , dodge approached jacques gershkovitch in 1924 to lead the orchestra as music director of the portland junior symphony .
the ensemble performed for the first time in 1925 , and by the 1930s pjs concerts were being broadcast nationally .
following gershkovitch 's death in 1953 , alumnus jacob avshalomov became the orchestra 's music director .
the ensemble 's name was changed to the portland youth philharmonic in 1978 .
pyp has had five conductors and music directors during its history : gershkovitch -lrb- 1924 -- 1953 -rrb- , avshalomov -lrb- 1954 -- 1995 -rrb- , huw edwards -lrb- 1995 -- 2002 -rrb- , mei-ann chen -lrb- 2002 -- 2007 -rrb- , and professional clarinetist david hattner -lrb- 2008 -- present -rrb- .
today the portland youth philharmonic association consists of four ensembles , including the philharmonic orchestra , conservatory orchestra , wind ensemble , and the young string ensemble .
participating musicians range in age from seven to twenty-two years and represent dozens of schools within the portland metropolitan area and other surrounding communities .
