1960 August


Preliminary Session - first pilot of the National Youth Orchestra

 Taken from the 1960 program:

"The Stratford Symphony Work Shop last summer was used in part as a preliminary session to launch the National Youth Orchestra Association of Canada. This achieved such an outstanding artistic success that the formation of a National Youth Orchestra was warranted."

The members of this preliminary orchestra formed the first prototype orchestra for what would later be known as the  National Youth Orchestra Canada. 

As stated in the first media release in 1960, the aim of the newly formed National Youth Orchestra association was "to teach young musicians to play in a symphony orchestra under professional conditions; thus assuring a constant supply of first class musicians to improve the standard of our symphony orchestras."

Director of Music: Walter Susskind