Our History

DYO has been making a significant impact on musical and public life at home and abroad for more than four decades.

Dublin Youth Orchestras began in 1982, founded by Joanna Crooks, Charmian Arbuckle, Agnes O’Kane and Vanessa Sweeney, all mothers of music students. Setting out to provide a forum for young musicians to play regularly together, they began with two orchestras which soon became the current four. For the first number of years, Sunday rehearsals took place monthly at the Holy Child Community School in Sallynoggin, thanks to the principal Lola Heffernan who was an energetic member of the DYO council.

Initial uptake was far greater than expected, subsequent growth was rapid, and in 1984 DYO ran its first annual summer camp at Aravon school in Bray. Modelled on the National Chamber Music Courses in the UK, their director Elizabeth Waterhouse was invited to run our first summer course.

The European Music Year in 1985 provided the incentive to invite a youth orchestra from Germany to visit Dublin, and since then the orchestras have travelled to Italy, France, England, Spain, Canada, Florida and China, and welcomed players from those countries back to Dublin. 

DYO relocated in 1993 to Sancta Maria College in Rathfarnham, which became our home for over 25 years. The 2020-21 season was impacted heavily due to the Covid-19 pandemic and rehearsals moved online. In September 2021 with assemblies permitted again, DYO moved to new premises at St Dominic’s College, Navan Road, Dublin 7. This is where all four orchestras (about 350 members) currently meet for their 3-hour rehearsals, up to 12 times in the academic year. 

In 2022 our Summer Chamber Music Courses relocated to the idyllic setting of St. Columba’s College, Rathfarnham. Here, our Junior and Senior residential courses immerse about 140 young musicians in chamber music, in carefully considered small groupings with experienced tutors. A balance of diverse activities makes for a complete summer camp.