Founded by Walter Bitner, Tracy Silverman, and ten students in June 2007, MCYO is currently a string orchestra with 28 talented students grades 5 – 12. MCYO’s musicians represent a broad array of backgrounds from across the metropolitan Nashville area; our current enrollment includes students from ten different public and private schools as well as students from homeschooling families.  Hallmarks of our program include a high-energy, joyful atmosphere for music-making and an eclectic approach to programming that includes classical masterworks, jazz and rock standards, and traditional music from around the world.  During our first season MCYO performed concerts at The Belcourt Theatre in Nashville, The Renaissance Center in Dickson, Tennessee, and a special pre-show performance for a capacity audience at The Nashville Shakespeare Festival.

We are now in rehearsal for our 2008–2009 season, which will feature performances at The Belcourt Theatre as well as special concerts in other venues TBA.

Welcome to MCYO: Nashville’s Eclectic Youth Orchestra.

“The students are superb musicians, and playing together challenges and inspires them to continue to grow and improve. The repertoire is imaginative and creative while still giving students a basis in the fundamental classical skills needed to play in an orchestra. Most importantly, the guiding principal of the orchestra is that music making should be fun!”

— Graham Mote,
MCYO Board President