The orchestra has performed at venues including Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, the Alex Theatre in Glendale and Barnum Hall in Santa Monica
The Los Angeles Youth Orchestra will hold auditions for its spring 2026 season on Jan. 3 and 4, inviting student musicians from across the region to apply for membership in the ensemble.
Auditions will take place at First Presbyterian Church in Encino and are open to students ages 8 to 18 who have completed at least two years of private instruction on their instrument. The spring season begins Jan. 11.
The orchestra, known as LAYO, includes more than 100 student musicians representing more than 50 schools throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Under the leadership of artistic director and conductor Russell Steinberg and assistant conductor Jorge Padron, the spring 2026 season will center on music honoring the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Planned repertoire includes works by Aaron Copland, Roy Harris, Charles Ives, John Philip Sousa and William Grant Still, as well as the premiere of “Self-Evident,” a new composition by Steinberg.
In recent years, the orchestra has performed at venues including Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, the Alex Theatre in Glendale and Barnum Hall in Santa Monica. In June 2026, LAYO is scheduled to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York as part of “United in Sound: America at 250,” a nationwide celebration featuring select youth orchestras. Students accepted through the January auditions will be eligible to participate in that performance.
Organizers said the orchestra is seeking young musicians from throughout the Los Angeles basin who are interested in collaborative performance experiences. While all instruments are encouraged to audition, the ensemble is particularly seeking advanced players on violin, viola, double bass, English horn, bass clarinet, French horn and tuba. Current members travel from communities ranging from Camarillo to Rancho Cucamonga.
The orchestra said participation offers musical and personal growth opportunities for students. One alumnus credited the program with shaping career goals and encouraging a broader perspective on music.
Additional audition information is available on the Los Angeles Youth Orchestra website.
