ENSEMBLES     EDUCATION     EXCELLENCE

The Michigan Philharmonic Youth Orchestra provides a unique, enriching and educational musical experience for aspiring young musician thought Southeastern Michigan.  MPYO currently offers a full program of three orchestras (two string ensembles and the full youth symphony) and a Flute Choir and beginner Wind Ensemble, and annual side-by-side performances with the Professional musicians of the Michigan Philharmonic.  With its affordable tuition, MPYO now has over 115 students ranging in age from 8-18. Rehearsals all take place at the Plymouth Arts & Recreation Complex (PARC) in downtown Plymouth.

MPYO is open to students who want the chance to perform in a challenging orchestra setting in order to lift their performance skills to a higher level.  Placement in the five ensembles is done through auditions and is based upon playing level rather than age.

Highlights of this program include:

  • Side-by Side performances with the Michigan Philharmonic for the Sinfonia and the Youth Symphony

  • Opportunities to perform through the community

  • Reduced admission to Michigan Philharmonic concerts

  • Workshops with Michigan Philharmonic composers and guest artists – past programs have featured specialists in jazz improvisation, violin performance, Chinses Erhu, Indian Sitar and Latin Percussion.

  • Opportunity for highly talented senior string player to be chosen for string fellowship and mentoring with Michigan Philharmonic award-winning Music Director and Conductor, Nan Washburn

Auditions will be held in-person on June 15 and online on June 22.  Please contact MPYO Manager to register or visit www.mpyo.org

We return to regular rehearsals on Tuesdays starting September 2022.

For more information please contact Nancy Davidson – MPYO Manager @ nancyd@michiganphil.org

Hektor Qyteti served as the Assistant Concertmaster for the Michigan Philharmonic for the seven years before being promoted to his current position of Principal Second Violin. He is also the Assistant Concertmaster of the Grosse Pointe Symphony as well as playing in the violin section of numerous other Detroit Metro area orchestras, including symphonies in Dearborn, Warren, Rochester, and Pontiac.

Prior to moving with his family to the U.S., he had a five-year tenure as Concertmaster of Korce Philharmonia Orchestra in Albania, during which time he performed as a soloist on the Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and other major concertos. A dedicated and highly sought-after teacher, Mr. Qyteti maintains a busy schedule teaching violin and chamber music privately at PARC and Evola Music Center. He has also served on the faculty of Steppingstone School for the Gifted in Farmington. He is the conductor of the Strings and Sinfonia ensembles of the Michigan Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Kevin Naeve is a conductor, composer, and piano teacher. As a conductor, he has performed internationally with the Mihail Jora Philharmonic Orchestra in Bacău, Romania, in the US with the Macon Symphony in Georgia, and locally with the Rochester Symphony. Kevin also started “Bizarchestra,” which brings new music by local composers together with storytelling. He has conducted many choral and stage works, including Gilbert and Sullivan’s “H.M.S. Pinafore” and Mozart’s “Coronation Mass.”

In addition to conducting, Kevin maintains a private piano studio. He has premiered his orchestral work, “Time,” at the Symphony of Hope fundraiser for cancer research in Charlotte, NC. Kevin also actively pursues experiences in non-western musical practices and instruments, including steel pan, sitar, Chinese guqin, and African gyl.

He has a Bachelor’s degree in Composition and Harpsichord from Wright State University, and a Master’s in Orchestral Conducting from Oakland University.