About Us
The Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) has a reputation for being one of the world’s most prestigious and innovative training organisations for young pre-professional musicians.
Our training pathway has been created to nurture the musical development of Australia’s finest young instrumentalists and promising arts leaders across metropolitan and regional Australia: from the emerging, gifted, school-aged student, to those on the verge of a professional career. AYO presents tailored training and performance programs each year for aspiring musicians, composers, arts administrators and music journalists aged 12 to 30. As one of the nation’s eight leading arts training organisations, the Arts 8, AYO prepares young people for careers in the arts sector which contributes $122.3 billion to the economy annually.
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 instill in its participants a love of music and a dedication to the highest standards of performance.
AYO occupies a special place in the musical culture of Australia, where one generation of brilliant musicians inspires the next, where aspiring musicians get a taste of life as professional musicians, and where like-minded individuals from all over the country gather for intense periods to learn from each other, study and perform. On the world stage, AYO has established itself as a cultural ambassador for Australia on twenty-four international tours since its first in 1970.
Today, countless AYO alumni are members of some of the finest professional orchestras worldwide and contribute to Australia’s cultural heartbeat.
Meet the Orchestra
The Australian Youth Orchestra is our flagship orchestra and namesake. The pinnacle of pre-professional training for young people pursuing a career as an orchestral musician, the Australian Youth Orchestra has been described as “one of the best orchestras in the country” (ABC Classic) and has been celebrated on stages around the world.
Click on the orchestra sections in our interactive orchestra map below to find out more about the 2026 Australian Youth Orchestra artists.
Note: This map is current as of February 2026.
- Upper Strings
- Lower Strings
- Woodwinds
- Harp & Keys
- Percussion
- Brass
About the Organisation
Vision
That all young Australians are empowered with musical knowledge, imagination and a love of music.
Purpose
To train, empower and inspire young musicians as Australia’s leaders, thinkers and artists, through music education and performance experiences of the highest standards.
Values
Quality
We are committed to the highest level of artistic, educational and organisational practice.
Respect
We engage a youth-centred approach to all aspect of our organisation, that reflects our broader belief that all people should be treated with dignity and respect.
Creativity
We celebrate the joy, wonder and discovery inherent in music making, and seek opportunities to excite human creativity through music.
Connection
We believe in the positive impact of working together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. We foster inclusivity, collaboration and belonging.
AYO in the Arts Ecosystem
AYO is Australia’s premier pathway for young musicians aspiring to the highest levels of classical performance, offering world-class orchestral training, mentorship, and opportunities that set national and international benchmarks for excellence. Building on this foundation of cultural excellence, AYO’s value is realised through a circular ecology model—where excellence, leadership, and innovation flow throughout the Australian arts ecosystem.
AYO’s impact is circular and regenerative: young musicians, teachers and audiences enter from diverse backgrounds, are extended at national and international levels, and return to their communities enriched—strengthening institutions, local communities, and the broader sector.
A key part of AYO’s value proposition is its alumni, many of whom pursue careers outside music yet retain a deep love of classical music and remain engaged as active music-makers, learners, listeners, supporters and advocates. This breadth of impact ensures that AYO’s influence extends far beyond professional musicianship, cultivating a musically literate, culturally engaged and inclusive society.
Reflect
Reconciliation Action Plan
AYO is committed to being culturally safe for people from different backgrounds, first and foremost Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Our Policies
The Arts8
The Australian Government funds the eight organisations which comprise the Australian Roundtable for Arts Training Excellence, known as the Arts8