Our Orchestras

Queensland Youth Orchestras (QYO) is the State’s major orchestral training and performance organisation for young musicians aged 7 to 25. Founded by John Curro AM MBE (1932-2019) in 1966, QYO is now under the artistic leadership of Simon Hewett.

QYO currently has seven ensembles: three symphony orchestras, two concert bands, junior string ensemble and big band. Each group has its own program of activities including rehearsals, tutorials, concerts, camps and tours.

QYO employs five full-time staff including a General Manager, Administrator, Marketing and Events Manager, Administration Officer and Community Development Officer. Part-time staff include seven conductors, a Venue Manager and Venue Bookings Manager. QYO employs over 70 professional musicians casually as tutors, audition panel members, accompanists, competition judges and guest artists.

The organisation relies heavily on the services of volunteers as orchestra managers, librarians, stage managers and for assistance with concerts, fundraising, canteen, auditions, camps, office and maintenance tasks.

QYO is a non-profit organisation requiring substantial funds to fulfil its mission. In order of magnitude, the organisation’s main sources of income are from membership fees, grants from local and State Governments through Brisbane City Council and Arts Queensland, corporate sponsorship and donations, concert income and fundraising activities.

Logan City Orchestras (LCO) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to creating vibrant orchestral opportunities across the City of Logan. As an inclusive and community-driven initiative, LCO is being developed to support a multi-ensemble structure designed to foster musical excellence, education, and engagement across all ages and ability levels.

LCO is home to the Logan City Symphony Orchestra (LCSO)—our premier ensemble—as well as in the future a range of smaller ensembles and project-based groups. We invision these to include chamber music initiatives, youth development ensembles, and cross-genre collaborations that reflect the rich cultural diversity of the region.

Driven by a passionate team of musicians, educators, arts workers, and volunteers, LCO operates on a project-based model, enabling flexible and high-quality participation across the year. We work closely with local venues, community partners, and arts organisations to build pathways into orchestral music and celebrate the creative talent within Logan.

Brisbane Symphony Orchestra (formerly Brisbane Sinfonia) was formed in 1990 in response to the need for a community orchestra of professional performance standard. Members of the orchestra are drawn from all walks of life, including medical specialists, lawyers, teachers and professional musicians engaged in music education. The orchestra has had marked success, due in great measure to the efforts of founding conductor Antoni Bonetti. Recently they welcomed Paul Dean to the BSO as our Chief Conductor.

Brisbane Symphony Orchestra’s annual concert program provides an entertaining array of standard orchestral repertoire by such composers as Beethoven, Stravinsky, Dvorak, Bruch, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Britten, Berlioz, Shostakovich and Gershwin. The orchestra has commissioned works by Australian composers Elena Kats-Chernin, Robert Davidson and Paul-Antoni Bonetti.
The Brisbane Symphony Orchestra currently performs up to eight or more concerts per year in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast and is conducted by Stephanie Smith.  Orchestra members enjoy performing and sharing their love of classical music with these communities.