OUR MISSION…
To provide a chamber music and chamber orchestra instruction and performance program, and to expand training opportunities for young talented musicians, while sharing the enjoyment of making music with the community.

• The Pittsburgh Youth Chamber Orchestra is an energetic and dynamic group of young talented musicians ages 13 to 21, fully committed to the highest degree of musical beauty in their performance of the classical, alternative and contemporary music repertoire for chamber ensembles and chamber orchestra.

• The Pittsburgh Youth Chamber Orchestra (PYCO) is comprised of string, woodwind, brass, percussion, piano and harp players whose individual strengths make it possible to bring out the excitement of chamber music performance.

• At PYCO we help students to achieve the highest level of excellence in performance, not only as team players but also as individual performers by encouraging participation as soloists as well as in chamber groups.

• PYCO strives to expose the students to the building blocks of professional musicianship through chamber music literature, in addition to open their minds to the study and practice of contemporary music and alternative styles.

• The orchestra features guest conductors, guest sectional coaches, master classes, workshops and chamber music camps offered by local, national and internationally recognized professional musicians.

• The Pittsburgh Youth Chamber Orchestra performs 2 to 4 free concerts from September trough May. In addition to these performances, our chamber orchestra or chamber ensembles perform in several private functions and outreach presentations.

• The format of our PYCO concerts is usually one section featuring the performance of the string orchestra or chamber orchestra, sometimes without a conductor, and featuring in some concerts either a guest soloist or soloists from the orchestra. Another section is the performance of the brass, woodwind, string or percussion chamber ensembles. The concert typically ends with a performance by the full chamber orchestra either by itself or in collaboration with other art organizations.

• The orchestra rehearses on Sundays from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in the North Hills. The first part of the rehearsal is devoted to chamber ensembles and string orchestra, while the second part of the rehearsal is devoted to full chamber orchestra involving all instruments.