American Youth Symphony
| Company type | Non-profit organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, Performing arts |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Founder | Mehli Mehta |
| Defunct | 2024 |
| Fate | Discontinued operations due to financial difficulties |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Area served | Los Angeles, California |
Key people | Mehli Mehta (founder and music director), Carlos Izcaray (final music director) |
| Products | Orchestral performances, music education programs |
Number of employees | 108 musicians (2013/14 season) |
| Website | www |
The American Youth Symphony (AYS) was a Los Angeles-based orchestra founded in 1964 in California, United States.
History
Established in 1964 by conductor Mehli Mehta, who was then serving as the Director of the Orchestra Department at UCLA and father to Zubin Mehta and Zarin Mehta, AYS operated under his leadership for 33 seasons until his retirement at the age of 90. In 2016, Carlos Izcaray assumed the role of the third and final music director. The orchestra announced in March 2024 that it had delivered its concluding performance on February 25 and planned to discontinue operations by March 15, citing financial difficulties exacerbated by the prolonged effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Training
During the 2013/14 season, AYS consisted of 108 musicians representing 26 different educational institutions. Participation in the program was tuition-free and highly selective, with approximately 250 to 300 candidates auditioning annually for roughly 30 available positions.
Programs
Each season, AYS offered between five and seven concerts, predominantly free to audiences at UCLA's Royce Hall. The Los Angeles Times recognized their performances for exhibiting remarkable "polish and depth." Their repertoire spanned from classical masterpieces to contemporary works and film scores.
The orchestra collaborated with numerous distinguished guest artists, including Sarah Chang, Daníel Bjarnason, Anna Clyne, cellist Johannes Moser, Lera Auerbach, pianist Valentina Lisitsa, composers David Newman, Alan Silvestri, Charles Fox, as well as Danny Elfman and John Williams.
The Hollywood Projects
In May 2012, AYS initiated the Elfman Project, a multi-year endeavor dedicated to performing compositions by Danny Elfman, conducted by Oscar-nominated film composer David Newman. This project succeeded a prior three-year concentration on film composer Jerry Goldsmith and aimed to educate emerging musicians in film score performance while preserving cinematic musical works.
The Elfman Project has received positive recognition within the film music industry; Justin Craig of Film Score Monthly commended AYS for their adept handling of the intricacies inherent in film music, highlighting that despite being labeled "youth," the orchestra's execution is professional-grade.
Support for this initiative has been provided by organizations such as the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, the James Irvine Foundation, and BMI.
Notable alumni
Graduates of AYS have secured key roles in leading American orchestras, notably forming significant portions of ensembles based in Los Angeles. By 2014, thirteen alumni were members of the LA Opera, seven performed with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and fourteen were part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.