What is OYS?

Ensembles

OYS, Inc. comprises two performing groups made up of musicians from 6th-12th grade (and occassionally younger) from Oshkosh, Omro, Neenah, Fond du Lac, Appleton and other surrounding communities. In the OYSSO (symphony orchestra) and OYSPhil (philharmonia) ensembles, students learn from conductors and sectional coaches in an environment structured similarly to adult professional orchestras.

OYS Symphony Orchestra

In OYSSO, all traditional orchestral instrument groups (strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion) are represented. A typical concert season includes three public performances and a children’s concert for Oshkosh and surrounding school districts’ third graders.

OYS Philharmonia

OYSPhil is composed only of stringed instruments. A typical season includes public fall and spring concerts along with a holiday concert in which they have a chance to perform alongside the musicians of OYSSO.

Season

The rehearsal and concert season for OYS, Inc. typically runs from September through March. The season begins with a Registration and Retreat Day on the first Sunday after Labor Day. Weekly rehearsals for both orchestras are held on Monday evenings at Oshkosh North High School; OYSPhil meets from 6:00-8:00 pm and OYSSO meets from 6:30-8:45 pm. Concerts are typically scheduled in early November, December, and March. Additional dress rehearsals prior to concerts are scheduled by the conductors. All concerts are held at Alberta Kimball Auditorium at Oshkosh West High School.

In addition to the full ensemble performances, OYS Inc. runs a chamber music program every other year following the regular concert season. Small ensembles are formed and rehearse classical chamber music which is performed at a fundraising concert in April, typically held at a local venue.

Participation

All new prospective musicians and musicians wishing to move from Philharmonia to Symphony Orchestra must audition either in-person or virtually. Please see the Prospective Musicians page for more information on the audition process.

Funding

There is a membership fee for participation in OYS, Inc, for which need-based scholarships are available (see Prospective Musicians page). In order to keep this fee as low as possible and make participation possible for as many students as possible, OYS, Inc. relies heavily on the support of local grants and donations to cover the remaining operational expenses. Contributions made to OYS, Inc. are tax-deductible. Please see Donate page for more information.

Volunteering

Parent involvement is expected and is critical for the success of the program, both in supporting their musicians and in contributing volunteer hours. Parent meetings are normally held 3-4 times throughout the season, with dates, times and locations on the calendar. A parent board helps to coordinate and work with other parents who are active on volunteer committees. All of these efforts make it possible to run a successful youth symphony program.