Queensland Youth Symphony (QYS)

Established in 1966, the 100-member Queensland Youth Symphony (QYS) is widely recognised as a world-class youth orchestra and is the flagship ensemble of Queensland Youth Orchestras (QYO).

The Queensland Youth Symphony has performed throughout Australia and internationally during ten overseas tours (Europe, USA, United Kingdom, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand) to much critical acclaim.

In 2004, QYS toured to Germany and Italy giving concerts in Ulm, Munich, Bamberg, Würzburg, Florence, Santa Fiora and Tivoli. It performed in the Festival Euro Mediterraneo near Rome and the International Festival of European Youth Orchestras in Florence. QYS shared concerts with the Munich Youth Orchestra, Würzburg Conservatorium musicians, various choirs in Würzburg Cathedral and the Ulm Youth Wind Orchestra.

QYS has performed with The Whitlams, flautist Alexis Kenny, pianists Michele Campanella and Monica Leone, violinist Mark Mogeilevski, clarinettist Richard Haynes, and pianist Natasha Vlassenko. Past members of the QYS hold positions in most of Australia’s major orchestras and orchestras of renown throughout the world.

QYO regularly hosts visiting international youth orchestras including, in 2007, the Mannheim Youth Orchestra from Germany and the Macau Youth Orchestra. In March 2008, QYO hosted and performed with the Stuttgart University Orchestra from Germany. In June this year, QYO will host a concert with the Albuquerque Youth Symphony from the US and in August, the Ulm Youth Wind Philharmonic from Germany.

Throughout its 43-year history, QYS has toured and performed extensively throughout Australia and internationally in 11 overseas tours (Europe, USA, United Kingdom, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand) to much critical acclaim. In 2008, the orchestra performed in fourteen concerts in Mannheim, Speyer, Heidelberg, Bouxwiller, Scherwiller, Strasbourg, Freiburg, Stuttgart, Bamberg, Ancona, Sulmona and Rome.