Mission & History
Mission Statement
The Napa Valley Youth Symphony provides young musicians from diverse backgrounds exciting opportunities for personal and artistic growth through challenging and inspiring rehearsal and performances in a professional environment, while enhancing our community educationally and artistically.
Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
Napa Valley Youth Symphony is committed to creating an organization that values diversity, equity and inclusion and offers tuition and lesson scholarships. Cost should never be a barrier to participation.
History
Established in 2002 NVYS has garnered many accolades, including recognition of achievement by United States Senator Barbara Boxer and invitations to perform at Carnegie Hall in 2008 and again in 2014.
The group embarked on their first tour in 2008, traveling to New York City and performing at Carnegie Hall. In that same year the Youth Symphony established an entry-level training orchestra named Sinfonia and in 2009 the Youth Symphony established a sister ensemble for Sinfonia called Wind Sinfonia for wind and brass players.
In 2010 the NVYS won top honors with a Gold Award at the Los Angeles International Music Festival, performing at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
NVYS embarked on its first international tour in 2012 to Central Europe with performances in Salzburg, Vienna (Rabenstein), and at the International Mahler Festival.
New York City was once again the site of a Napa Valley Symphony Tour in June, 2014. The group enjoyed unparalleled access to the New York Philharmonic, engaging in a young composers workshop and sitting in on a closed Philharmonic rehearsal. NVYS also performed at the Band Shell in Central Park and at Carnegie Hall.
In 2016, NVYS toured Ireland and the United Kingdom, performing in St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, University of York in York and St. John's Smiths Square in London.