Regional Youth Programs

The Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras (MCYO) program strives to create a seamless connection between the artistic and the educational experience. MCYO now enjoys its first permanent home in the grand Music Center at Strathmore. MCYO is highly regarded regionally and nationally as one of the country’s most outstanding youth orchestra programs. Founded in 1946 as the Montgomery County Youth Orchestra, MCYO is the oldest and most established youth orchestra program in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.  Since 2005, MCYO has been a resident partner in the beautiful and world class venue at the Music Center at Strathmore where it has been thrilling audiences with artistic performances from all age levels.

Located in Potomac, Montgomery County Maryland, The Potomac Valley Youth Orchestra (PVYO) celebrates 29 years of excellence in music education, bringing the best and most experienced music educators together to offer the most comprehensive youth orchestra program in Maryland.  PVYO provides every musician a very strong educational foundation, along with unparalleled performance opportunities.  PVYO strives to help young musicians develop personally and grow musically through challenging and exciting educational programs. This year, PVYO welcomes over 375 participating musicians to our community.

Young Artists of America at Strathmore (501c3) is the region’s premier training organization for collaborative performing artists. It is the only known program in the nation where high school students receive mentorship and individualized instruction from renowned artists while training to perform fully-orchestrated works of music-theatre in state-of-the-art venues. With campuses in Montgomery County, MD and Howard County, MD, students from all over the mid-Atlantic region participate in our Performing Ensembles, while many travel from overseas for our Summer Intensives.