Roanoke Youth
Symphony Orchestra
Advanced Students
The Roanoke Youth Symphony Orchestra rehearses at Patrick Henry High School on Sunday afternoons during the academic year.
The RYSO is composed of 55 musicians, ages 12-18, who rehearse weekly and perform symphonic repertoire in public concerts throughout the school year. Additionally, the RYSO performs an annual Discovery Concert, serving school-aged children in the greater Roanoke area. Led by David Webb, the RYSO is the only professional orchestral training program for young people in Southwest Virginia. These young musicians gain membership through auditions held annually each spring and fall. Once accepted into the orchestra, students are welcome to perform with the RYSO through their high school graduation.
RYSO was founded in 1957 by Hazel Burnham and has since had an array of wonderful conductors, such as Richard C. Cole and William Glazebrook.
Yearly tuition for RYSO is $425.
Payment plans and financial aid are available upon request.
For further information or to schedule an audition,
please complete the form below.
Young Artist Awards
The Young Artists Awards is a solo performance competition for students of the Roanoke Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Participation in the RYSO enables access to competitions and scholarships specifically for members, such as the Young Artists Awards (YAA), sponsored by the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra for members of the Roanoke Youth Symphony Orchestra. The YAA were initiated in 1983 by a gift from Mr. Eldon C. Grover, a former RSO Board member and patron. This generous gift enabled the formation of the Eldon C. Grover Fund, specifically for education scholarships. A portion of the Fund’s proceeds finance the YAA. Three financial awards, in the amounts of $1,000, $500 and $250 are awarded to the first, second, and third place winners respectively. The first place recipient is invited to perform as a soloist with RYSO during the following school year.
This year’s YAA Concerto Competition will be held on April 10th, 2027 at 3 pm at Salem Presbyterian Church (41 E Main St, Salem, VA 24153). Applications for entry into the competition will be due on January 31st.
David Webb
Conductor and Music Director
David Webb is in his 25th year as Director of Bands at Jefferson Forest High School in Forest, VA. Prior to taking his current position at Jefferson Forest, Mr. Webb taught at Linkhorne Middle School in Lynchburg, VA (1992-98), and at Marion County High School; Jasper Middle School in Jasper, TN (1990-92). Under Mr. Webb’s direction, the Jefferson Forest High School Bands have been recognized for outstanding performance in all areas, including consistent “Superior” ratings earned by the concert and marching bands, and recognition as a Virginia Honor Band; VA Music Educators Association “Blue Ribbon School”.
He graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science in Education with certification in Instrumental Music and holds a Master’s of Music Education from George Mason University. Mr. Webb is the 2013 Bedford County Public Schools and Commonwealth of Virginia Region 5 “Teacher of the Year” and was elected a BandWorld Legion of Honor Laureate by the John Philip Sousa Foundation in 2013.
His professional affiliations include Virginia Music Educators Association, Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, National Band Association, American School Band Directors Association, and Phi Beta Mu International Band Fraternity.
Mr. Webb and his wife Karen live in Forest, VA with their two daughters—Audrey, a 23-year old French horn player, and Olivia, a 19-year old oboe player. He is currently the Immediate Past President of the Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors Association.
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