Founded in 1923, the Winnipeg Youth Orchestras were formed with the goal of establishing a program to provide young musicians from across Manitoba with the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument in an orchestral setting. The program runs from September to April and there are typically 140-160 students enrolled in the program. The Winnipeg Youth Orchestras are administered by a volunteer board and we have a total of five staff, the three Conductors, an Administrator and a Librarian.

We have strong ties to both the Winnipeg Symphony and Manitoba Chamber Orchestras and a number of our members regularly participate in the Winnipeg Music Festival and the International Music Camp at the Peace Gardens. In addition, we have performed a number of specially commissioned pieces which have on occasion been composed by WYO students. Therefore, we play a central role in the diverse music scene found in Winnipeg today.