Led by Music Director, Kristofer Sanz, the YAAOrchestra is open to instrumental students ages 14-19 from the Maryland, Virginia and DC area. A unique symphonic ensemble, our program focuses specifically on an accelerated track for advanced musicians who get to rehearsal and play alongside professional musicians in some of the area’s leading professional venues.

YAAOrchestra students will focus on rehearsing and performing fully-orchestrated works of music-theatre. Students are provided with the opportunity to regularly collaborate with some of the area’s leading vocalists and dancers, as well as to be mentored by leading creatives from professional symphonies and stages (see Mentorship Program below).

Many of our alumni have gone on to study at prestigious universities including: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Juilliard, Peabody, Cleveland Institute of Music, Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan, Penn State, CCM (Cincinnati), NYU, Baldwin Wallace, Northwestern, Rice, Indiana, and UMD. These students and their families often credit Young Artists of America at Strathmore for preparing them for college and their musical careers beyond.

Fall Production (7 rehearsals + 1 performance):

• 4 Thursday rehearsals

• Sitzprobe (with singers)

• Orchestra run-through (on stage)

• Performance

Spring Production (7 rehearsals + 1 performance):

• 4 Thursday rehearsals

• Sitzprobe (with singers)

• Orchestra run-through (on stage)

• Performance

See Calendar below for further details.

Regular YAAOrchestra rehearsals take place at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, MD.

Our performances take place at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, MD and Capital One Hall in Tysons Corner, VA.

Learn more about our rehearsal and performance venues here.

The 2025-2026 season will feature excited and varied repertoire that you won’t have the chance to play anywhere else! Stay tuned for more details!

Visit our Current Season page for current productions.

Auditions for the 2025-2026 YAAOrchestra will take place via video audition submitted beginning mid-August via Acceptd for the upcoming season.

All students must audition to be accepted into the new All-Star program.

Please read the Audition Info section below for more information about upcoming auditions.

Students have the unique opportunity to work closely alongside leading professional mentors both in rehearsal and performance. Recent mentors have included Anthony McGill (New York Philharmonic), Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell, Pippin), Jason Robert Brown (Parade, Songs for a New World), and many more.

Learn more about recent Mentors and upcoming opportunities to work with Guest Mentors here.

Recent innovative programming has included staged theatrical concerts of large scale musical theatre as well as unique productions that have been devised for and have received their world premiere with Young Artists of America.

Recently, our world premiere of Young Artists of America: The Songs of Tim Rice filmed for PBS (Maryland Public Television) was nominated for three EMMY® awards and won an Emmy® for Best Lighting.

Please review our Upcoming and Previous seasons for a full listing.

FULL SEASON (September-May) - $595
- Includes 2 Productions (Fall + Spring shows)

• Fall/Winter Semester Only (October-November) - $395

  • Includes Fall Production

• Winter/Spring Semester Only (March-May) - $395

  • Includes Spring Production

Learn more about available Scholarships and Awards here.