Listen to recorded concerts of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO) on WRTI. Maestro Louis Scaglione conducts. The Philadelphia Youth Orchestra is a premier youth orchestra organization for gifted, young, classical musicians, and one of the oldest and most highly regarded youth orchestra organizations in the United States. Founded in 1940, the PYO provides professional-caliber musical experiences to young instrumentalists, thrilling discriminating audiences in the Greater Philadelphia region and across the globe.

The organization has six program divisions: Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO), Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra (PYAO), Philadelphia Young Musicians Orchestra (PYMO), Bravo Brass, Philadelphia Region Youth String Music (PRYSM), and Tune Up Philly, an El Sistema inspired after-school program.

Ranging in age from 6 to 21 years, the musicians of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra organization are selected by competitive audition and come from a 70-plus mile radius of Philadelphia encompassing nearly 20 counties within Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Through advanced orchestra repertoire, students are challenged to perform at professional levels, to strive for advanced musicianship and to achieve superior technical, musical, and personal application.