Orlando, FL - March 16, 2026 This season, the future and present of orchestral music in Orlando come together in one exciting collaboration. Presented by Massey Services, Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras (FSYO) is partnering with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra (OPO) for a special side-by-side performance, offering young musicians a rare and inspiring opportunity to rehearse and perform alongside professional musicians.
As the official youth orchestra of Orlando, FSYO is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians, and this partnership with the OPO, Orlando’s official symphony orchestra, brings that mission vividly to life. Under the baton of OPO Music Director, Eric Jacobsen, and FSYO Music Director, Charles Watford, FSYO members will take on challenging repertoire while sitting shoulder to shoulder with the very musicians whose careers they aspire to emulate.
Repertoire for this concert will include movements from Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 conducted by OPO Music Director, Eric Jacobsen as well as Carl Nielsen’s Masquerade Overture conducted by FSYO Music Director, Charles Watford. All 81 Symphonic Orchestra members from FSYO will be performing these pieces alongside 36 musicians from the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. To prepare for this performance, Eric Jacobsen will be stopping by an FSYO rehearsal to work with the Symphonic Orchestra before joining the OPO musicians for dress rehearsals leading up to the concert.
This experience goes far beyond shared sheet music. FSYO and OPO musicians will also connect offstage sharing meals, conversations, and personal stories providing FSYO members insight into the realities of life as a professional musician. This experience combines mentorship, music education, and performance training all rolled into one unforgettable experience.
Join Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra for this free performance on Saturday, April 25th at 3:00pm at Lake Highland Preparatory School. To learn more about the performance, please visit fsyo.org/concerts-and-events.
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ABOUT FSYO: Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras empowers young musicians to achieve excellence and inspire their communities through a shared love of music. In its 69th Concert Season, FSYO serves over 300 students and comprises eight ensembles - three symphony orchestras, two string orchestras, two jazz bands, and a percussion ensemble.
FSYO programs are carefully structured to encourage student growth with FSYO throughout their primary and secondary years. Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras’ full range of ensembles gives each student a place to excel with peers at a similar level and an opportunity to collaborate with seasoned music professionals on local, national, and international levels. During summers, students participate in life-changing experiences of organized tours, alternating between international and national travel.
Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras is funded in part by United Arts of Central Florida, your local agency for the arts and by the Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs Program. FSYO is also sponsored by the City of Orlando through the Mayor's Matching Grant.
For more information, please visit www.fsyo.org | facebook.com/THEFSYO | @f_s_y_o (instagram) | youtube.com/fsyo
ABOUT OPO: Celebrating its 33rd Season, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is led by Music Director Eric Jacobsen and is comprised of creative musicians and artists from around the world. The Philharmonic annually presents the 10-concert Classics Series and Pops Series in Steinmetz Hall as well as its Focus Series and Symphony Storytime Series at The Plaza Live, a historic Central Florida venue. The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s vision is to envision a thriving Central Florida where live orchestral experiences foster connection, inspire reflections and civic engagement, support music education, and sustain a vibrant creative economy for musicians, and those who make their work possible. The OPO presents more than 170 live concerts and impacts more than 70,000 children, youth, and families annually through its Young People’s Concerts, Symphony Storytime Series, Notes in Your Neighborhood program, and free outdoor community concerts. A resident company of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, the Philharmonic is proud to perform in the new Steinmetz Hall, one of the finest venues for acoustic music in the country. The Orlando Philharmonic is a Partner Organization of the National Alliance for Audition Support, an initiative to increase diversity in American Orchestras. Learn more at orlandophil.org.
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