The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announced the creation of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras (BSYO), its first youth orchestra, in May 2012. The Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras (BSYO) proudly carries on the legacy of the 35-year-old Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestras.

The three orchestral ensembles that comprise the BSYO are: the Youth Orchestra, a pre-professional full orchestra, which performs works from the standard orchestral repertoire as well as music by living composers, led by Artistic Director Ken Lam; the Concert Orchestra, an intermediate-level full orchestra formed in 1999, led by MaryAnn Poling; and the String Orchestra, a string ensemble for early-level string players with an emphasis on developing musical ensemble skills led by Michael Gamon.

As part of the BSYO membership, all students will have opportunities to interact with BSO musicians throughout the year, attend BSO concerts and one of its four concerts will be held at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in March 2013.

During the 2012-2013 season, the BSYO will serve as ensemble-in-residence at the newly constructed George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson, Maryland. Through this unique partnership BSYO students will have the opportunity to partake in numerous creative collaborations with the Carver Center and will perform in the world-class concert hall on the schools campus.