Join us for Symphonic Fun this Spring!

The Walla Walla Symphony Youth Orchestra (WWSYO) provides a unique opportunity to rehearse and perform in a full symphonic ensemble with strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Musicians rehearse weekly with director Bruce Walker and perform 2–3 concerts each year.

Beginning Spring 2026, WWSYO will expand into two complementary ensembles so students can rehearse at the level best suited to their musical growth:

• WWSYO Crescendo — a youth orchestra for developing musicians.
  For players with at least one year of experience on their instruments, ready to grow their skills, build confidence, and deepen their ensemble fundamentals.
  
  
• WWSYO Virtuoso — a youth orchestra for advanced musicians.
  For students with strong technical ability and multiple years of ensemble experience, ready for more challenging repertoire and leadership opportunities.

All students register through this form; auditions will be used to determine placement.

Spring Session Schedule

• Wednesday evenings
• Crescendo: 5:00-6:00pm at Pioneer Middle School
• Virtuoso: 6:30–8:15 PM at Pioneer Middle School
• February 11 - May 13
• Subscribe to the WWSYO Google Calendar for a full list of rehearsals and concerts, or view the calendar online without subscribing.

Location

WWSYO ensembles will rehearse at the Pioneer Middle School orchestra room. Special thanks to Ms. Woods for hosting us in the space, and to Ms. Jillson for use of the percussion instruments!

Dress Rehearsals and Concerts will be held at the WWCC Performing Arts Center. Special thanks to Rodney Outlaw and the Audio Engineering program for hosting us in the space, and for providing recording services!

Eligibility

Designed for musicians in grades 6–12.

To participate in WWSYO, students must also be enrolled in their school’s music ensemble, if one is offered. If instruction on your primary instrument is not available at your school, we encourage you to participate in another ensemble within your school’s music program.

Students who are homeschooled full-time, or who are enrolled full-time in Running Start, the Opportunity Program, or online school (and do not participate in any other school programs), are strongly encouraged—but not required—to participate in a school music program. 

Please contact us if you’re unsure about your eligibility.

Attendance

Participants must attend all rehearsals. Two excused absences are permitted per Session. Students missing more than two rehearsals may be asked to demonstrate their handle on materials and/or have a conversation with Mr. Walker about their future availability.

Auditions

All participants—returning and new—are required to complete an audition for the Spring 2026 Session. Auditions ensure that each musician is placed in the ensemble where they will be most successful and have the best musical experience.

Audition materials for the Spring Session are standardized for all instruments and a rubric will be used to determine placement. Audition materials can be found here:

• WWSYO Spring 2026 Audition Materials

All auditions will be virtual. After submitting this registration form, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to upload your video recording. If you have any trouble with your video submission, please feel free to email emily@wwsymphony.org.

Recordings may be uploaded anytime between registration and January 26. Auditions will be reviewed by Director Bruce Walker, and all registrants will receive their audition results via email by Friday, February 6.

Musicians whose auditions demonstrate their ability to participate in WWSYO will be placed in either:

• WWSYO Crescendo (developing musicians), or
• WWSYO Virtuoso (advanced musicians)

Any musicians whose auditions demonstrate that they might not be ready to achieve success in either ensemble will be asked to wait and audition again for the next WWSYO Session after some more practice.

Communication

We send weekly emails to all participants and their parents/guardians with rehearsal details, extra musical opportunities, free tickets to Walla Walla Symphony events, and other announcements. Please provide a working email address when you register. If you’d like to add additional email addresses to the weekly email list, please email emily@wwsymphony.org.

Questions

Please direct all questions, as well as any schedule conflicts or unavoidable absences, to emily@wwsymphony.org.

SPARK! is a free online composition course geared toward brand new through advanced young composers in grades 3-12.

The Spring 2026 Session will take place from March 22 - May 1, 2026.

Throughout each session, participants will meet via Zoom for private lessons with Kristin Vining to develop an individual project. Participants will also meet in groups once each month to explore improvisational and compositional techniques together. By the end of the course, the participants will have an original musical composition ready to share at an online music showcase. 

The Course will consist of the following elements, all conducted online:

• ONLINE ORIENTATION (March 22, 4:00 pm PT)
  An introductory meeting with all participants to go over the different elements of the course, and give composers a head start on brainstorming their composition.
• PRIVATE LESSONS (flexible scheduling)
  Study music composition with Kristin Vining. In your lessons Kristin provides individual attention to help you start, develop, and complete your project. Schedule lessons at your convenience using an online Calendly sign-up form.
• GROUP CLASS & COMPOSERS WORKSHOP (March 29 and April 19, 4:00pm PT)
  Both events are encouraged but optional for all participants. Meet other young composers, build your composer toolbox, study music theory & explore composition techniques, and workshop your compositions-in-progress.
• ONLINE SHOWCASE (May 1, 5:00 pm PT, 4:30 call time)
  Share your new work! Friends and family are invited to join. Present a PDF and computer-generated sound file of your new composition. Hear an excerpt of your piece performed live by a WWS musician! This event is recorded and the recording is shared with all participants. 

You will receive an email confirmation once you complete registration, containing links to the Orientation, Group Classes, and Private Lesson Sign-Up Calendar. Please email emily@wwsymphony.org if you don't receive this confirmation after completing your registration!

SPARK! is a free online composition course geared toward brand new through advanced young composers in grades 3-12.

The Summer 2026 Session will take place from June 29 - August 3, 2026.

Throughout each session, participants will meet via Zoom for private lessons with Kristin Vining to develop an individual project. Participants will also meet in groups once each month to explore improvisational and compositional techniques together. By the end of the course, the participants will have an original musical composition ready to share at an online music showcase. 

The Course will consist of the following elements, all conducted online:

• ONLINE ORIENTATION (June 29, 4:00 pm PT)
  An introductory meeting with all participants to go over the different elements of the course, and give composers a head start on brainstorming their composition.
• PRIVATE LESSONS (flexible scheduling)
  Study music composition with Kristin Vining. In your lessons Kristin provides individual attention to help you start, develop, and complete your project. Schedule lessons at your convenience using an online Calendly sign-up form.
• GROUP CLASS & COMPOSERS WORKSHOP (July 6 and July 20, 4:00pm PT)
  Both events are encouraged but optional for all participants. Meet other young composers, build your composer toolbox, study music theory & explore composition techniques, and workshop your compositions-in-progress.
• ONLINE SHOWCASE (August 3, 5:00 pm PT, 4:30 call time)
  Share your new work! Friends and family are invited to join. Present a PDF and computer-generated sound file of your new composition. Hear an excerpt of your piece performed live by a WWS musician! This event is recorded and the recording is shared with all participants. 

You will receive an email confirmation once you complete registration, containing links to the Orientation, Group Classes, and Private Lesson Sign-Up Calendar. Please email emily@wwsymphony.org if you don't receive this confirmation after completing your registration!