Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra

Events & News

2024-2025 Registration is Open!

Registration will remain open and students may join through the third rehearsal of each session. Auditions will be arranged on a case by case basis once registration is received.

*There are no auditions for Summer Session.

Previous Events

MAYSO Winter Concerts:
Symphonic Delights

Saturday, March 9, 2024  |  2:00 PM

Waseca Junior/Senior High School

1717 Second St NW

Waseca, MN  56093


Sunday, March 10, 2024  |  3:00 P.M.

Mankato East High School

2600 Hoffmann Road

Mankato, MN 56001

Becky Buller & Ned Luberecki join MAYSO!

MAYSO is thrilled that International Bluegrass Music Award (IMBA) recipients Becky Buller and Ned Luberecki will be guest artists for MAYSO's Summer Session concert on June 18, 2023. In addition to playing their own tunes, Becky and Ned will team up with MAYSO's Summer Pops Orchestra to perform several of her pieces arranged by Mankato composer Benji Inniger. We hope to see you there!

Here's a little about the duo:

The 2016 IBMA Fiddler and Female Vocalist and the 2018 IBMA Banjo Player have combined their musical wit and whimsy with the aim to entertain you in a bluegrass duo sort of way!

Becky Buller has written songs for the likes of The Traveling McCourys, The Infamous Stringdusters, Special Consensus, Rhonda Vincent, Doyle Lawson, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Kenny & Amanda Smith, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, and many more. She heads up the Becky Buller Band (of which Ned is a member); she teaches private music lessons from her home studio in Manchester, Tenn.; she serves on the board of the IBMA Foundation; she’s Jeff’s wife and Romy’s mama. Her latest album, Distance And Time, was a 2021 IBMA Album Of The Year award nominee. She is a 10-time IBMA award winner and records for the Dark Shadow Recording label.

Ned Luberecki is one of our favorite voices on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio’s Bluegrass Junction, heading up Saturday’s “Derailed” show and “More Banjo Sunday”, which includes the ever-popular “Sunday Banjo Lesson”. The Bluegrass Junction team received a 2016 IBMA Distinguished Achievement award. Ned is an internationally recognized banjo guru: he teaches online lessons, has a series of banjo instructional videos with TrueFire and a series of books with Alfred Publishing. Ned is also the voice of the IBMA Award Show. He has two singles that are doing well on the radio airplay charts: “Back In Baltimore” and “Magrathea”; listen for them wherever you grab your music. Ned and his wife, Kelley, live in Nashville, Tenn.

MAYSO Summer Concert:  Homespun Fun

Sunday, June 18, 2023  |  3:00 PM

Mankato West High School, 1351 S Riverfront Dr, Mankato MN 56001


Guest artists Becky Buller and Ned Luberecki join MAYSO for an afternoon of bluegrass and fiddle inspired music. This concert will premier orchestral arrangements of Becky's original songs arranged by local composer, Benji Inniger. We look forward to seeing you there!


Admission:  Pay what you can

MAYSO Winter Concerts:  Fantastic Film Favorites

Saturday, March 11, 2023 | 2:00 PM

Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial High School

607 510th Ave, Lake Crystal, MN 56055

Sunday, March 12, 2023 | 3:00 PM

Trinity Chapel, Bethany Lutheran College

Luther Dr, Mankato, MN 56001

Join MAYSO for an afternoon of music drawn from film and television. 

MAYSO Fall Concerts:  Evening of Roses

Saturday, November 12, 2022 | 2:00 PM

Le Sueur High School, 901 Ferry St, Le Sueur, MN 56058

Sunday, November 13, 2022 | 3:00 PM

Trinity Chapel, Luther Dr, Mankato, MN 56001

These performances will be the premier of Evening of Roses a piece commissioned by MAYSO and arranged by local composer Benji Inniger.  They will also feature works of and inspired by baroque composers. Free admission with donations accepted at the door.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra is to educate young musicians in a professional symphonic atmosphere, to give opportunity to perform a wide variety of symphonic music, and to provide a variety of music education formats. It is our purpose to help prepare the young musician for participation in the world of symphonic music, either as a professional musician or as a patron of the arts.

The Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra has been presenting concerts in our communities and teaching students since 1963.

We now offer several unique opportunities for students to play music including the Youth Symphony Orchestra, Youth Philharmonic, North Star Strings, Chamber Orchestra, and Summer Pops Orchestra.

Ensembles

North Star Strings (NSS) is our introductory strings only orchestra. The goal of this ensemble is to introduce students to ensemble playing and help develop note reading. Students in this orchestra should have a minimum of 1 year of private lessons, should be able to read music, and are typically in grades 3-8. All students who apply are accepted into this ensemble.

Youth Philharmonic* (YP) is our intermediate ensemble open to string, wind, and percussion students. YP students can expect to see more challenging key signatures (up to 4 flats or sharps) and challenging rhythms. String players can expect to shift into higher positions. These students will typically have between 3-6 years of experience on their instrument, have prior ensemble experience, and are typcially in grades 6-9. *YP is not being offered for the 2023-2024 season.

Youth Symphony Orchestra (YSO) is our most advanced ensemble offered to wind, percussion, and string musicians. YSO students will typically have 4 or more years of experience on their instrument, have prior ensemble experience, and are typically in grades 9-12. Repertoire for YSO will be selected from advanced high school or introductory collegiate level works.