Suffolk Youth Orchestra

The flagship of Suffolk County Council's extensive programme of youth music opportunities, the Suffolk Youth Orchestra (SYO) is a full symphony orchestra of over 90 players, all aged between 13 and 21 years. It ranks among the finest of its type in the UK. As well as appearing in prestigious venues at home, and giving annual performances at the Snape Proms, SYO have toured extensively throughout Europe. They also provided the orchestral accompaniment for the National Youth Music Theatre's Tour of 'Creation'. SYO was one of only seven British youth orchestras selected to participate in the Masterprize Dearfield Education Programme, part of Masterprize 2001 - the world's leading composing competition, in association with the London Symphony Orchestra. They also presented a 'Prom in the Park' in the Abbey Gardens, Bury St. Edmunds, in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Phillip on the occasion of the Royal Golden Jubilee visit to Suffolk, and performed Saint-Saëns' 'Organ' Symphony at a concert attended by Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal, at St. Edmundsbury Cathedral in celebration of the completion of the new cathedral tower. In December 2007 the orchestra led the musical proceedings at BBC Radio Suffolk's Children in Need Carol Concert in Snape Maltings Concert Hall, which was subsequently broadcast across the region on Christmas Day.

In 2000 the ensemble was en route to their hotel near Paris when the building was struck by a Concorde aircraft.