Shenandoah Valley Youth Symphony Orchestras

The Shenandoah Valley Youth Symphony Orchestras provide a unique, high-level orchestral experience for advanced pre-collegiate wind, brass, strings, and percussion students of the greater central Shenandoah Valley area. There are three different orchestras in SVYSO.

A student participating in SVYSO will:

  • experience a broad range of symphonic literature

  • broaden their training in an orchestral setting

  • experience a high level of music-making

  • express individual creativity through concerto performances and performances of student compositions

  • provide an orchestral forum not otherwise available for most wind and percussion players 

Sinfonia Strings

  • Sinfonia Strings is our introductory ensemble, giving late elementary/early middle school string players an opportunity to develop their instrumental proficiency in an orchestral environment. Students must know how to read music to be admitted to this ensemble.

    This ensemble is just for string players and is led by Dr. Philip Ledgerwood. 

    Admittance is based upon a successful audition.

  • Sinfonia Strings meets every Thursday from 5:45-7pm in Lehman Auditorium Room 025.

SV Youth Chamber Orchestra

  • Shenandoah Valley Chamber Orchestra is our newest ensemble, designed for musicians that already have some orchestral experience. This smaller group allows for musicians to develop their leadership and musical independence. This group is typically composed of strings, but occasionally other instruments may be needed depending on the programmed repertoire for the season.

    This ensemble is led by Rhonda Stees.

  • SV Chamber Orchestra performs at least once per year and meets on Tuesday evenings and Sunday afternoons for around 4 weeks leading up to a performance.

SV Youth Symphony Orchestra

  • SVYS SPRING SCHEDULE

    Rehearsal Locations: Lehman Auditorium (LA), Martin Chapel, and Eastern Mennonite School (EMS)

    Tues. Feb. 18         Strings Only rehearsal (In Martin Chapel)

    Sun. Feb. 23           3-5pm Full Symphony (In Lehman Auditorium) 

    Tues. Feb. 25          6:30-8pm (Location TBD)

    Sun. March 2          3-5pm (In LA)

    Sun. March 9          3-5pm (In LA)

    Tues. March 11       6:30-8pm (at EMS)

    Sun. March 16        3-5pm (In LA) 

    Tues. March 18       Dress Rehearsal (In LA)

    Sun. March 23         4:30pm Call Time & Warm Up / 5:30pm Concert (In LA) 

  • Shenandoah Valley Youth Symphony is our premiere ensemble and is designed for students playing at an exceptional level. This group performs at least twice per school year and is composed of full winds, brass, percussion, and strings.

    This ensemble is led by Rhonda Stees.

Rhonda Stees, SVYSO Music Director

Rhonda Stees is a passionate music educator with a broad and varied experience in instrumental music education which includes public school teaching, college teaching, leading youth community music and a private studio. Mrs. Stees currently teaches as an adjunct faculty at both James Madison University (JMU) and Bridgewater College (BC) in the areas of instrumental music education.  Mrs. Stees has served as a JMU University Supervisor for Music Education student teachers for nearly 20 years, and has also taught music appreciation and Instrumental Technique classes, in addition to coaching chamber groups. At BC, Mrs. Stees has taught a variety of music education courses, leads the Chamber Strings, and has taught within the oboe and string studios.


Mrs. Stees has been an active public school educator in Arizona and Virginia. In Virginia, Mrs. Stees taught middle school and high school orchestra and served as the Orchestra Chair for the VA Music Educators Association and the VA Band & Orchestra Directors Association. Her interest in community music education for youth led her to co-found the Massanutten Youth Brass Band in 2010, a regional group of which she is currently Director. She has also served as the wind and percussion Coach, as well as interim conductor, for SVYS for numerous years. Mrs. Stees earned her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Illinois and a Master of Music from Arizona State University. Mrs. Stees conducts the Youth Chamber Orchestra and Youth Symphony.

Audition Information

Admittance into any of the three groups is on the basis of a brief audition.

    • Scales: Musicians should play two scales of different keys. Play them in any format you wish and play them with as many octaves as you are comfortable. 

    • Prepared Selection, please choose one of the options below

      • Option 1: 

        • SRO or All State audition etude 

      • Option 2: 

        • District Band or JRO audition music AND

        • A selection from a solo, etude, or school band/orchestra music

      • Option 3: 

        • If a participant has not preparen a DB, SRO, JRO or All-state audition, they should bring in two short selections from a solo, etude, or their school band/orchestra music

    • Sight Reading: A very brief excerpt of instrument specific sight reading may be supplied at the audition.

Follow the link here to sign up for a Spring 2025 Concert Cycle Audition

https://forms.gle/EW8t4PdNUN5pzah78

Auditions for the Youth Symphony Orchestra have passed, but we still have openings in certain instruments. If you would like to be considered for those openings, email Dr. Ledgerwood for more information. philip.ledgerwood@emu.edu

  • If the above time does not work for you, please contact Dr. Ledgerwood to arrange for an alternate time. philip.ledgerwood@emu.edu

An official registration form will be sent out after your audition.

Auditions will be held on EMU’s campus in either room 011 or 025 in the Lehman Auditorium building.

Registration and Cost Information

Registration for the 2025 Spring concert cycle is OPEN. Registration forms are sent directly to students that have completed their audition.

If you’re interested in participating, please sign up for an audition using the form above.

  • Tuition for just the Spring Concert Cycle:

    • $50 registration fee (Due by February 23rd, 2025, non refundable)

    • $140 tuition for the Spring Semester (Options for payment include payment in full upfront or in two installments, due Feb 23rd and March 23rd)

  • Tuition for just the Spring Concert Cycle:

    • $50 registration fee (Due by January 31, 2025, non refundable)

    • $140 tuition for the Spring Semester (Options for payment include payment in full upfront or in two monthly installments, due in January and February)

Scholarships are available!

Following an audition, students will have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship.

Interested in donating to our scholarship fund? Use the link below!

Any funds received go directly to our scholarship fund which will allow us to reach even more exceptional young musicians in our community. Any amount is greatly appreciated but your tax-deductible donation of $140 could provide tuition for an entire semester for one student!