Music Theory at PYP: Building Confidence, Curiosity, and Musical Excellence!

Posted on December 4, 2025

Many people know Portland Youth Philharmonic for the concerts, the energy on stage, and the incredible level of young musicians who perform each season. What often goes unseen is the work that happens long before the lights come up. One of the essential parts of the PYP experience is music theory. It is not an add on or an... Read More ›

PYP’s Forever Home: Returning to Our Roots in Irvington

Posted on November 13, 2025

More than 100 years ago, Portland Youth Philharmonic began its story in Portland’s Irvington neighborhood, where founder Mary V. Dodge led one of the city’s first youth orchestras. Today, after generations of rehearsing in borrowed spaces across the metro area, PYP is returning to those same roots with the purchase of its first permanent home: the historic Central Lutheran Church on NE... Read More ›

Hillsboro Violinist Leo Trajano Wins the 2025 PYP Concerto Competition

Posted on October 9, 2025

Seventeen-year-old violinist Leo Trajano from Hillsboro, Oregon, has been named the winner of the 2025 Portland Youth Philharmonic Concerto Competition. As the top prize winner, Leo will perform as soloist with PYP at the March 7, 2026 concert at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

For Leo, preparing for the competition was all about focus, rest, and positive energy. “This was obviously an... Read More ›

Turning the Page: Season 102 Begins!

Posted on September 3, 2025

The start of a new season is always a time of renewal. As the summer heat begins to fade and the first hints of autumn arrive, the musicians of Portland Youth Philharmonic are preparing to gather once again. In just a few days, the rehearsal hall will be filled with the familiar sounds of tuning strings, the warmth of brass,... Read More ›

Alumni Spotlight: Jason McComb From First Symphony to a Life in Music

Posted on August 12, 2025

When Jason McComb took his seat in the cello section of PYP’s Prep Orchestra in the fall of 1981, he was about to experience a first that would shape the rest of his life.

“The first symphony I ever played was Schubert’s Unfinished,” Jason recalls. “That feeling of being part of something so much bigger, surrounded by other musicians just as excited as I... Read More ›

Season 102 Round 2 Auditions Are Open! Find Your Place at PYP

Posted on August 7, 2025

What does it mean to be part of Portland Youth Philharmonic? For many young musicians, it’s more than just playing in an orchestra. It’s a space where passion meets purpose. Where technical growth, real-world collaboration, and lifelong friendships are all part of the experience.

PYP is proud to be the first youth orchestra established in the United States, blazing a trail since... Read More ›