The Los Angeles Youth Orchestra (LAYO) is a creative environment where student musicians, ages 8-18, from throughout the greater Los Angeles area, come together to rehearse and perform classical symphonic masterworks and contemporary music. To accommodate different playing levels, LAYO has two ensembles: the Ruth Borun Concert Orchestra for intermediate players, which performs quality arrangements of classical and contemporary music; and a Symphony Orchestra for more advanced players, which performs standard and contemporary repertoire much like professional orchestras. Each week students participate in weekly sectional rehearsals led by a team of professional coaches, full orchestra rehearsals with the Artistic Director/ Conductor and Assistant Conductor, and are required to take weekly private lessons. At the end of each semester, students perform two concerts at professional venues and have the opportunity to participate in national and international tours every other year during the summer.