String Orchestra Ensembles

Debut Strings Ensemble (DSE) is the entry-level string ensemble. Students should be at least a rising 2nd grader or age 7 by September 1st.

Serenade Strings Ensemble (SSE) is the second tier string ensemble, designed for beginning-level string musicians who have already played in an ensemble, or intermediate-level musicians new to orchestral playing.

Lyric Strings Ensemble (LSE) is the third tier string ensemble, and is intended for advanced beginner and intermediate level string students.

More About DSE More About SSE More About LSE

Full Orchestra Ensembles

Repertory Youth Orchestra (RYO), is a “full orchestra ensemble” (strings, plus woodwinds, brass, and percussion) for intermediate and advancing level musicians. RYO performs arrangements of standard classical orchestral repertoire at a graded Level 4.

The Armstrong Youth Orchestra (AYO) is the most advanced ensemble in our Armstrong Youth Orchestra Program. Students in this ensemble are ready to learn major symphonic repertoire instead of student arrangements.

More About RYO More About AYO

Fall 2020

The Armstrong Youth Orchestra program is excited to get back to music-making this semester after the COVID-19 months of silence. Please know that we have been working diligently with GSU and establishing strict guidelines to help protect our children. We will be following GSU restrictions on room capacity, face mask requirements, taking temperatures, washing hands, chairs spaced out–each string student will have their own stand, designated times in a room and rotating rooms to allow “empty time” to limit viral build-up and allow time afterward for aerosols to settle and be removed by the HVAC system.

Currently our enrollment allows us to have only our advanced ensemble AYO as in previous semesters, and a special string ensemble called the Armstrong String Ensemble (ASE). The Armstrong Strings Ensemble (ASE) is intended for intermediate students. All music performed by this group will be Level 3 – 3.5 in the state of Georgia. We hope to implement all of our normal ensembles in January for our Spring Semester.