The Albuquerque Youth Symphony was formed in 1955-56 as a collaborative project between the Albuquerque Public Schools and the University of New Mexico. Dr Kurt Frederick of UNM was the first conductor. Students in the orchestra were from grades 7-12.
In the year 1962, to permit the participation of more students, the symphony was divided into two orchestras: The Albuquerque Junior Orchestra for students in grades 7-9 and the Albuquerque Youth Symphony for students in grades 10-12.
In 1964, Dale Kempter was employed in the University of New Mexico Music Department and became the conductor of the Albuquerque Youth Symphony as a part of his assignment.
In 1968, in order to enlist more students from the North and South Valley, the Albuquerque Junior Orchestra was divided into the Heights and Valley Junior Orchestras. The AYS Program now had three orchestras. 1968 through 1970 saw great expansion in program support with a three year Title III Grant which provided a summer camp at the D. H. Lawrence Ranch, tours to twenty seven New Mexico Communities, a beginning harp program and music equipment.
In 1973, the first European tour was scheduled and the AYS Parents Association was organized.
1974 saw continuing expansion and reorganization as increased student interest in being accepted into the honor groups brought about the formation or a second high school age group, the Albuquerque Youth Orchestra. APS was also reorganizing from junior high grade level to mid-school so the AYS Program was changed to reflect the structure as it exists today.
During this change the Heights and Valley Junior Orchestras were re-organized to reflect the following:
• Two mid-school orchestras with students from grades 6-8: the Albuquerque Junior Symphony and the Albuquerque Junior Orchestra.
• Two high schools orchestras with students from grades 9-12: the Albuquerque Youth Symphony and the Albuquerque Youth Orchestra.
In the early 1990's severe budgets cuts in the APS Music Program gave concern to the future stability of the Youth Symphony Program. After a two-year study, a task force of UNM, APS and community representatives recommended that the governance be expanded to a board of directors. The UNM and APS would be recognized with representatives on the board. In addition, representatives from the community, NMSO, District 7 Music teachers, AYS Alumni and Parents Association officers serve on the board.
Today, the Program is under the governance of the Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program Inc. Board of Directors, with its first full time executive director.
The Albuquerque Youth Symphony continues to tour each year building a national and international reputation for its program. AYS has performed by invitation at four Music Educators National Conventions. In addition to performing in over a dozen states in the United States, concerts have been performed in England, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Mexico and Canada.
In 1998 the program added its 5th orchestra into the program with the addition of the Albuquerque Junior String Orchestra featuring students in grades 3 - 5.
In 2001, Dale Kempter announced his retirement as AYS Conductor. That same season, the AYS Program was featured in a documentary feature, produced by KNME-TV, entitled "A Life's Journey: The Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program." Mr. Kempter continues as our AYS Program Music Director, overseeing all artistic activities of the program.
After a year-long national search in 2002, Mr. Kats was hired to conduct our top orchestra, the Albuquerque Youth Symphony. Mr. Kats earned his Master's Degree in Music from Florida State University, and Artist Diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music. He was previously active as both conductor and clarinetist in the New York area, conducting the New York Youth Symphony, with which he made his Carnegie Hall debut, Gemini Youth Symphony of Long Island, Philapelphia Sinfonia, and various freelance groups specializing in new music. Mr. Kats spent the summer of 2005 on the orchestra faculty of the internationally renowned Interlochen Arts Camp, and also served as conductor of the Santa Fe Youth Symphony. Mr. Kats left the AYS Program in 2007 to become the Artistic Director of the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies in Minneapolis, MN.
To launch our 50th anniversary season, we held an Alumni Reunion on May 27 - 29, 2005, with a weekend of fun events and over 175 members in our Alumni Orchestra! Other events during the 50th Anniversary season included a composer-in-residence, Dr. Michael Schelle, who composed new music for all five of our orchestras with the world premiers given in April, 2006, side-by-side concerts with the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra and a concert tour to Brazil for the Albuquerque Youth Symphony in May, 2006.
In our 2007 - 2008 season, the AYS Program welcomed Gabriel Gordon as the fourth conductor of the Albuquerque Youth Symphony. Mr. Gordon was chosen from a field of twenty-eight applicants, and auditioned for a summer orchestra of Albuquerque Youth Symphony members and alumni. Mr. Gordon was also a member of the 1st violin section for the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra. In his inaugural season, Mr. Gordon gave a benefit violin recital, and led the AYS on a concert tour of Chicago. The AYS, AYO, AJS and AJO gave the welcome concert for the American String Teachers Association national convention, held in Albuquerque in February, 2008. The combined AJO and AJS performed a new piece, "Southwest Serenade" by Richard Meyer, and the combined AYO and AYS performed "Feng Shui" by Jeremy Hegg and "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" by Ralph Vaughan Williams. As a finale to his first season, Mr. Gordon and the AYS performed the Grammy Award-winning composition "Made in America" by Joan Tower on the NMSO Classics Concert in April, 2008.
Youths Shine at NMSO Show "The excellent Albuquerque Youth Symphony made its appearance under the direction of Gabriel Gordon on Friday night at Popejoy Hall. Opening the program by taking on Joan Tower's thorny and difficult "Made in America," they acquitted themselves with admirable professional skill. Clearly this talented group of young men and women has earned all the praise justly given them." ---by D.S. Crafts, excerpted from The Albuquerque Journal, Tuesday, April 29, 2008
The AYS Program is now in its 53rd season. Approximately 500 to 600 students audition each May to become members of the program. Students come from over 40 public, private, parochial, and home schools within a 50 mile radius of Albuquerque to participate.