Orchestral Ensembles
The TYO offers five orchestral ensembles designed for students from ages 6-18 and of varying levels of playing ability. Additionally, the TYO is home to the famous Tallahassee Fiddlers and several chamber music groups. All students are responsible for providing their own instrument. Please avoid buying an instrument online as the quality is not as good as our local dealers. In many cases, you will spend more money making an online purchase "playable" than you would have spent with a local dealer. So you get a return on your investment, many local dealers also have rent to own programs
The TYO ensembles are:
Orchestra Fundamentals: Designed as an introduction to ensemble for beginning violinists and cellists in grades 3 and up. Games, fun activities, and ear training enhance the young player's weekly private lesson experience in this ensemble.
- Director: Ms. Colleen Manseau
- Meets Sunday afternoons from 2:00—3:00 p.m.
- Tuition $350/year
Symphonic Strings: Designed for string students with one or more years of experience. This orchestra emphasizes the fundamentals of string technique, ensemble playing, and music reading. Open to all ages by audition in the fall; please see AUDITIONS page for more information on requirements. Students should have at least one year of playing experience to join.
- Director: Ms. Geralyn Ashburn
- Meets Sunday afternoons from 3:15—4:45 p.m.
- Tuition $350/year.
Philharmonia: A more challenging orchestra for intermediate string students. The focus is on intermediate techniques, refined ensemble playing, and the exploration of different musical style periods. Open to all ages by audition in the fall; please see AUDITIONS page for more information.
- Director: Ms. Michelle Hudson
- Meets Sunday afternoons from 1:30—3:00 p.m.
- Tuition $350/year
Chamber Orchestra: Intermediate to advanced string students learn and refine upper level skills such as spiccato and vibrato. Intermediate to advanced literature is emphasized. Open to all ages by audition. Please see AUDITIONS page for audition information.
- Director: Mr. Chris Miller
- Meets Sunday afternoons from 1:30—3:00 p.m.
- Tuition $350/year
TYO Symphony Orchestra: A full orchestral ensemble including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion that performs orchestral literature at the highest level. Open to all ages by audition. TYO Symphony Orchestra students are also eligible for participation and coaching in string quartet, woodwind quintet, brass quintet, and percussion ensemble.
- Director: Dr. Alexander Jiménez
- Meets Sunday afternoons from 3:30—5:30 p.m.
- Tuition $375/year
Chamber Music Groups—String Quartet, Woodwind Quintet, Brass Quintet and Percussion Ensemble: These groups are formed by competitive audition at the beginning of each season. The chamber music groups give additional performances throughout the year as part of the TYO community outreach.
The Tallahassee Fiddlers learn and perform bluegrass, Celtic, mountain, folk, and other ethnic musics. “Fiddlers” is open to string players who are members of the TYO Philharmonia, Chamber, or Symphony orchestras (Symphonic Strings members may join by audition), and is also open by audition to musicians who play acoustic instruments such as mandolin, guitar, and banjo. Fiddlers performances are scheduled throughout the year at a variety of venues, both in town and out of town.
- Directors of Fiddlers: Mr. Mickey Abraham and Ms. Aisha Ivey
- Meet Sunday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:15 p.m.
- Tuition for string players—$110 (Pre-Symphony Orchestra students) and $35 (Symphony Orchestra students) a year in addition to the respective orchestra fee
- Tuition for musicians playing non-bowed instruments is $250/year