Youth Orchestra of the Rockies

Through the study and performance of orchestral music, the Youth Orchestras of the Rockies seek to build community and to enrich the lives of young musicians.

The Youth Orchestras of the Rockies originated as the Larimer Youth Festival Orchestra in 1995 as a summer program. LYFO was established by Fort Collins resident Lisa Eakins, Executive Director, and Thomas Fairlie, Music Director, to provide the young musicians of the northern Front Range of Colorado with an opportunity to experience the rigors of professional music-making in an educational setting.

Each year has seen growth in the membership of the organization, and a greater involvement of the community in its activities. From the beginning, music professionals in the community have lent a hand in the selection of the membership and in helping the youth prepare their music for concerts.

In the 1996 season, the Fort Collins School of Fine Arts of the Fort Collins Front Range Community College participated by sponsoring our program through their Continuing Education Department. The Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra has generously shared resources with YOR in the past, and has also played numerous combined concerts with our groups.

Because the membership grew to include youth from communities outside Larimer County and the program expanded to offer year-round opportunities, the name was changed to the Rocky Mountain Youth Orchestra in the summer of 1999. Under this new name, Allan R. Scott was hired as the first Music Director and held this position from 2001 - 2002.

Cynthia Katsarelis became Music Director in 2004. In the summer of the same year, the board decided to change the name once again to the Youth Orchestra of the Rockies to avoid confusion with the Rocky Mountain High School Orchestra.

In 2006, the Board of Directors voted to realize a long-term goal of creating a junior string orchestra. A panel of judges accepted 21 members into the inaugural orchestra. For the 2007-'08 season, three wind players were added to the group, making it the Concert Orchestra. A non-auditioned Elementary Strings group was added in 2009-'10.

Ms. Katsarelis stepped down from the position of Music Director in Spring 2009, and after a year-long, competitive search, Thomas A. Blomster was appointed to the position for the 2010-'11 season. The name of the organization was changed to the Youth Orchestras of the Rockies in 2011 to reflect the presence of multiple ensembles in the group.

In keeping with the original vision of its founders, the Orchestras operate as an official non-profit organization under the guidance of a Board of Directors, with federal tax-exempt status. The Orchestras continue to develop their relationships with other musical institutions in the area, exploring the possibilities for mentoring between professionals and students.