Greenville County Youth Orchestra

Greenville County Youth Orchestra (GCYO) is a full sized orchestra based in the Greenville, SC area and is a program of the Fine Arts Center of the Greenville County School District. GCYO is the top string performance group in a series of various levels of string groups in the Greenville County School District. GCYO maintains very high standards and limits the quantity of wind players in order to maintain the experience of playing in an actual realistic orchestral setting. This means each wind player is responsible for their part and there is seldom part doubling.

Mary AllyeB Purtle and Jeff Purtle have worked with GCYO since August 1998 and have been instrumental in recruiting and auditioning players to fit the overall goal of making this a true Honors Level orchestra and an experience like that of a professional orchestra. By raising the standards required and eliminating part doubling the orchestra has evolved to play primarily major orchestral repertoire that is un-arranged and un-transposed. It was also the vision of Mary AllyeB in 1998 that GCYO would develop a similar training orchestra with wind instruments that could play stand alone concerts. "The Phil" is the realization of this vision. By a realistic orchestral experience it is our goal that GCYO students will have experience that will benefit them as future professional musicians.

GCYO membership has the following additional benefits: Honors Level class credit under the Greenville County School District, no membership fee, scholarships for private lessons and camps, and opportunities to perform as a featured soloist with GCYO.

Dr. Gary Robinson (Conductor)
Jeff Purtle (Personnel Manager and Brass Coach) jeff@purtle.com
Mary AllyeB Purtle (Librarian and Woodwind Coach) hautbois@purtle.com
GCYO Website: www.gcyo.net