About Us
About Philadelphia Sinfonia Association
Philadelphia Sinfonia Association is a nonprofit youth orchestra organization in Philadelphia serving young musicians ages 10–23.
We offer four orchestral ensembles for students at different levels of experience, from developing string players to advanced musicians performing major symphonic repertoire. Our goal is to give students a place where they can be challenged, continue improving, and experience what it means to make music as part of an orchestra.
Our approach combines serious musical expectations with a supportive, collaborative environment focused on each student’s growth.
Our students come from Philadelphia and communities throughout the Delaware Valley, representing a wide range of schools, backgrounds, and musical experiences.
Four Orchestras. One Pathway
Philadelphia Sinfonia includes four ensembles, each designed for a different stage of a young musician’s development. Students can enter the organization at the level that is right for them and, as their skills grow, move into more advanced ensembles.
Philadelphia Sinfonia
Philadelphia Sinfonia (PS) is our most advanced, pre-professional full symphony orchestra. It is intended for accomplished young musicians who are ready for the demands of major orchestral repertoire and advanced ensemble playing.
Students are expected to prepare independently, listen closely, respond to the conductor and the musicians around them, and take responsibility for their role within the orchestra.
Philadelphia Sinfonia Players
Philadelphia Sinfonia Players (PSP) is an advanced-intermediate full orchestra for students who are ready to take on more challenging symphonic repertoire.
PSP gives musicians the chance to strengthen their orchestral skills in a full ensemble of strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion while preparing for more advanced playing.
Philadelphia Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra
Philadelphia Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra (PSCO) is an advanced string ensemble that gives students the opportunity to explore chamber orchestra repertoire in a smaller setting.
Because of the size of the ensemble, each player takes on greater individual responsibility. Students work closely on balance, listening, precision, communication, and musical independence.
Philadelphia Sinfonia Strings
Philadelphia Sinfonia Strings (PSS) is our introductory string orchestra and is designed for students who are building the skills needed to play successfully in an ensemble.
Students learn the fundamentals of orchestral playing while continuing to develop their technique, listening skills, confidence, and ability to work as part of a section.
Finding the Right Orchestra
Students are placed according to musical readiness rather than age alone.
Families do not need to know which ensemble is the right fit before auditioning. Our conductors use the audition to assess the student’s current level and determine where they are most likely to be successful while still being challenged.
For many students, Sinfonia becomes a place where they can continue growing over several years, moving from one ensemble to another as their playing develops.
Rehearsals and Performances
Our regular season runs from September through May, with rehearsals held on Saturdays in Center City Philadelphia, at the Howard Center for the Arts, at 1212 Wood Street.
Each ensemble has its own rehearsal schedule and performs concerts during the season. Students may also have opportunities to take part in special performances, collaborations, side-by-side events, and other projects outside the regular concert schedule.
2026-27 Rehearsal Schedule
PSS: 9:20 AM – 11:00 AM
PSP: 9:50 AM – 12:00 PM
PSCO: 12:20 PM – 2:00 PM
PS: 2:50 PM – 5:30 PM
Tuition and Financial Assistance
Tuition varies by ensemble and helps support our conductors and artistic staff, rehearsal facilities, performances, music, and the other program costs.
Philadelphia Sinfonia is committed to making participation possible for qualified students regardless of financial circumstances. Need-based financial aid, scholarships, and flexible payment options are available to help families manage the cost of tuition. Reach out to the Managing Director for more information.
Tuition for the 2026-27 Season
PSS: $875
PSCO: $630
PSP: $1750
PS: $1950
Auditions
Students join Philadelphia Sinfonia through an audition process held at several points during the year.
The audition is not only about whether a student is accepted. It also helps us determine which ensemble is the best fit for that student at that point in their development.
For more information about our auditions, go to our Auditions page.
What Students Learn Here
Playing in an orchestra involves much more than learning an individual part.
Students learn how to listen to the people around them, adjust their playing, follow a conductor, prepare on their own, and contribute to the sound of the entire ensemble. They also learn that successful performances depend on everyone arriving prepared and working toward the same goal.
Some Sinfonia students will eventually study music in college or pursue it professionally. Others will follow completely different paths. Either way, the habits they develop here—preparation, discipline, cooperation, persistence, and close listening—stay with them well beyond the concert hall.
Our History
Philadelphia Sinfonia Association was founded in 1997 to give young musicians greater access to serious orchestral training and challenging repertoire.
What began as one orchestra has grown into four ensembles serving musicians at different stages of their development. Over the years, Sinfonia students have performed throughout Philadelphia and beyond, taken part in professional collaborations, and continued their musical studies at colleges and conservatories across the country.
You can read more about the organization’s beginnings and development on our Mission & History page.
Find Your Place in Sinfonia
Whether a student is beginning to learn how to play in an orchestra or is ready for advanced symphonic repertoire, Philadelphia Sinfonia offers a place to keep learning, perform with other committed musicians, and take the next step in their development.
Explore Our Orchestras
Audition for Philadelphia Sinfonia
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