About MSYO

The Gulf Coast’s Premier Orchestra for Young Musicians

The Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra, features the most talented young musicians along the Gulf Coast! The MSYO is the region’s premier training orchestra for accomplished young musicians and is comprised of middle school, high school and early collegiate students through age 21. There is a fee for participation and scholarship assistance is available. Inquiries about auditioning for membership in the MSYO, as well as general information, should be directed to Ben Harper at 251-432-2010 or ben@mobilesymphony.org

MSYO’s 2024-2025 season will feature some of the greatest pieces in the orchestral repertoire performed by the finest young musicians on the Gulf Coast. In addition to performing two major concerts in the Saenger, the MSYO is proud to present two concerts as community outreach events, taking great orchestral music venues throughout the Mobile Bay region. This season, we will return to Foley for our traditional holiday program and to Medal of Honor Park for our Mother’s Day celebration.

Mission

The mission of the Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra is to offer young instrumental musicians throughout the Gulf Coast community an opportunity for growth and development by preparing, studying, and performing various genres of orchestral literature. The Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra provides string, brass, woodwind, and percussion students with instruction from highly qualified professional musicians. They experience the orchestral repertoire and improve their skills by working with other young artists, local musicians, and world-renowned guest soloists. Additionally MSYO musicians learn that participation in a group endeavor offers an experience far greater than one might achieve individually.

The MSYO is comprised of middle school, high school, and early collegiate students through the age of 21. Its members reside across the Gulf Coast region. The MSYO rehearses on Sunday afternoons from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., September through May. The year begins with a weekend retreat in September. The MSYO generally performs 5 or 6 concerts each season at various venues including the historic Saenger Theatre in downtown Mobile. There is a fee for participation and scholarship assistance is available.

Inquiries about auditioning for and membership in the Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra, as well as general information, should be directed to Iván del Prado at 251-432-2010 or ivandelprado@mobilesymphony.org

Dr. Iván del Prado

This is Dr. Ivan del Prado’s sixth season as music director of the Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra. Recognized as one of the most gifted Cuban-American conductors and described by critics as energetic and versatile, Dr. Del Prado is also the music/artistic director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. He has been the principal conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba, artistic and music director of the Gran Teatro de La Habana Symphony Orchestra, founder and general director of the Chamber Orchestra of Havana and music director of the Baja California Orchestra in Mexico.

Del Prado has been guest conductor for numerous orchestras around the world and has been praised by critics for his masterful interpretation on both standard Romantic literature and works from the 20th Century. His versatility spans the genres of symphony, opera and ballet. Opera has given del Prado the opportunity to collaborate with outstanding artists such as Maestro Luigi Alba, José Carreras and Victoria de Los Angeles. Ballet has taken him to conduct the Deutsch Staatsoper Unter den Linden Ballet and the Cuban National Ballet in international tours.

Education has been a central focus in Ivan del Prado’s career, and he was founder of the Cuba National Youth Orchestras. He was an adjunct professor at the University of Southern Mississippi and artistic director of the Premier Orchestral Institute, a project of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra.