Australian Youth Orchestra

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Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) is a training group for young musicians who want to become professionals. It began in 1948 from music camps started by John Bishop and Ruth Alexander and was formerly called Youth Music Australia.

AYO is one of eight national elite arts training organisations in Australia (ARTS8) and receives funding from the Australian Government through the Office for the Arts. It offers programs for aspiring musicians, composers, arts administrators, and music journalists aged 12 to 30.

Programs
- Orchestra and chamber programs: AYO Symphonists (high school age), the flagship Australian Youth Orchestra, National Music Camp (two weeks of training), professional immersion, and the Momentum Ensemble (by invitation).
- Arts administration and production: training in Media and Communications, Orchestral Management, and Sound Production.
- Composition: programs for composers.

Awards and nominations
- APRA Classical Music Awards: Won in 2006 for the National Music Camp Composition Program (Body Torque) in Education; 2007 finalist for Body Torque (with The Australian Ballet and Sonic Art Ensemble) for Outstanding Contribution by an Organisation.
- ARIA Music Awards: Nominated in 1989 for Best Classical Album Australia Day / Child of Australia (with Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Joan Carden, and John Howard) and in 1990 for Works of Koehne, Stravinsky, Messiaen, and Ravel.

Website: ayo.com.au