Where it all began.
The seeds for the East Texas Youth Orchestra, Inc. (ETYO) were planted by the Women’s Symphony League of Tyler in 1955, as a violin ensemble for 5th and 6th graders. These small ensembles were reorganized as a string orchestra in 1975 and expanded to a full orchestra in 1979 as the Tyler Youth Orchestra (TYO). The Tyler Preparatory Orchestra began in 1991 to provide musical enrichment and training for beginning string musicians, and in 2006, the Tyler Academic Orchestra formed to serve intermediate musicians who were honing their skills for the Symphony Orchestra.
In the spring of 2014, the Board of Directors saw the need to expand our reach, and was rebranded as the East Texas Youth Orchestra. In 2016, ETYO expanded beyond orchestral programming by creating the ETYO Jazz Academy. Today we continue to offer musical education to all borders of the East Texas area.
Symphony Orchestra Conductors
Felix Torres (2018–present)
Gene H. Moon (2014–2018)
Michael Grinnell (2012–2014)
Ryan Ross (2007–2012)
Dustin Soiseth (2004–2007)
Julie Simpson (1993–2004)
Alex Blair (1986–1993)
Richard Hohman (1983–1986)
Beverly Harrison (1979–1983)
Charlotte Morrow (1975–1976)
Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor
Sarah Reason (2016–2020)
Cody Smith (2021- 2022)
Lisa Lininger (2022-present)
Jazz Academy Conductor
Dr. Sarah Roberts (2017–present)
Academic Orchestra Conductor
Joanie Rathbun-Russell (2006–2016)
Preparatory Orchestra Conductors
Archie Jones (2007–2016)
Hank Hinkie III (2006–2007)
Joanie Rathbun-Russell (1994–2006)
Julie Simpson (1991–1994)
Phil Rumbley (2022-present)