Australian Youth Orchestra

Founded in 1948, Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) has attained a reputation amongst the performing arts community as one of the country's most prestigious artistic institutions - an elite training program for Australia's pinnacle of talented pre-professional musical artists.

When Professor John Bishop OBE and Ruth Alexander convened the first National Music camp in 1948, they created an institution that would fire the imaginations of over 12,000 young Australian musicians, see its orchestras tour the globe and instil in its participants a love of music and a dedication to the highest standards of performance.

Each year AYO continues to grow, offering opportunities to some 300 talented musicians between the ages of 12 to 28, who are handpicked in rigorous national auditions, across metropolitan and regional Australia.

On the world stage, AYO has established itself as a cultural ambassador for Australia on nineteen international tours since its first in 1970. This landmark tour established the international reputation of AYO, and led to engagements at major festivals across Europe for the next several decades.

The Australia Council's music board supports Youth Orchestras Australia.