Welcome to the Richmond Symphony School of Music
Founded in the summer of 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Richmond Symphony School of Music (RSSoM) launched as a virtual platform to bring music learning and community connection to students across Central Virginia and beyond. Today, RSSoM has grown into the central hub for all educational and community programming under the Richmond Symphony.
Although not a traditional brick-and-mortar institution, RSSoM represents the Symphonyโs commitment to providing accessible, inclusive, and meaningful music education. Its wide-ranging programs span performance, learning, and exposure for all ages and income levelsโfrom our flagship Youth Orchestra Program and in-school Educational Ensembles, to adult enrichment opportunities and free community events. The School of Music also maintains one fully virtual offering, the Companion Course, designed to foster deep listening and engagement through guided online exploration.
Each year, RSSoM reaches thousands of students through school-based performances, Hopkins-Eggleston Discovery concerts, and after-school programs, while also supporting emerging musicians through chamber music, masterclasses, and mentorship. From second graders picking up an instrument for the first time to high schoolers preparing for conservatory auditions, RSSoM reflects our vision for a vibrant, music-connected region.
Led by a dedicated team of musicians, educators, administrators, and community partners, RSSoM is helping redefine what a community music school can be: not confined to one building, but embedded in the life of a cityโchanging lives through the power of music.
The first four measures of W.A. Mozartโs Eine kleine Nachtmusik are among the most recognizable openings in all of classical music! Pick an instrumentโviolin, viola, cello, or double bassโand follow along with RSYO in their recent performance of this iconic work. ๐ป
Fun fact: Today, January 27, is Mozartโs birthday! Also celebrating his birthday today is our very own Hae Lee, conductor of RSYO! Happy birthday, Hae, and thank you for all you do to support our young musicians! ๐
๐ถ: W.A. Mozart: Eine kleine Nachtmusik, mvt. I: Allegro
Performed by the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra and conductor Hae Lee (November 2025)
@rvasymphony @dominionenergycenter #Mozart #EineKleineNachtmusik #RSYO #YouthOrchestra
The RSYO rehearsal on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 has been canceled due to inclement weather. Please read your email for more information and contact us with any questions. See you next week for our dress rehearsal and Side-by-Side! โ๏ธ๐ฅ
On Friday, January 16, we welcomed music students from three Virginia collegesโNorfolk State University, Virginia State University, and Virginia Commonwealth Universityโfor our first Open Rehearsal of 2026! ๐ถ
Before the rehearsal, students participated in a talk and Q&A with Richmond Symphony Composer-in-Residence Damien Geter. After, students were welcomed to the Carpenter Theatre to observe a full rehearsal of An African American Requiem, featuring four guest vocalists and guest conductor Kazem Abdullah alongside the Richmond Symphony.
Missed out on our fourth Symphony Series but want to learn more about An African American Requiem? Our Companion Course, taught by Dr. Julie Bemis, Vice President of Education & Community Engagement can be viewed for free at the link in our bio. ๐ถ
@rvasymphony @nsucc @vsumd_ @vsucc @vcuartsmusic @vcuchoirs #RichmondSymphony #DamienGeter #RVAmusic #ClassicalMusic #MusicEd
All Youth Orchestra Program rehearsals on Monday, January 26, 2026 have been canceled due to this weekendโs impending storm. Please read your email for more information and contact us with any questions. Stay safe in the snow! โ๏ธ๐บ
Todayโs the day! This evening, members of the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra (RSYO) will be competing in our annual Concerto Competition. Tonightโs winner will perform their concerto movement with RSYO in their final concert of the year.
The scores pictured here represent just a fraction of the students competing this evening. Good luck to all participants and stay tuned for the winner of this yearโs competition! ๐ถโจ
@rvasymphony #YouthOrchestra #ConcertoCompetition #Concerto #Orchestra
2026 ins and outs, YOP version! We hope all of our students had a restful holiday break and a wonderful first week back in rehearsal โจ๐ถ
Photos from the 2024โ25 and 2025โ26 seasons by Demetrius Holloway and Dave Pearson.
@rvasymphony #MusicEd #YouthOrchestra #ClassicalMusicMemes
โI was very fortunate to play a lot of the standard orchestral pieces as a young musician. We played a lot of serious repertoire during my time in [YOP],โ Erin said. One of her favorites? Dvoลรกkโs Symphony No. 8โone of the pieces she played during her very first concert with YOP, which she recently revisited during the Richmond Symphonyโs 2024โ25 season. โI have played Dvoลรกk 8 many times in my career. It is still one of my favorite pieces and there was something special about discovering it for the first time as a young musician.โ
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Our December Spotlight Series features Erin Lano, an alum of the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program who now serves as Associate Principal Horn of the Richmond Symphony. To read Erinโs Spotlight, head to the link in our bio or visit our website. ๐ถ๐ฏ
Our monthly Spotlight Series is written by Anna Mitchell, Education & Social Media Coordinator.
@rvasymphony #RichmondSymphony #FrenchHorn #Horn #YouthOrchestra
Happy International Cello Day from the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program! ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ซถ
Our November 2025 concert (pictured) featured 34 amazing young cellists across four different ensembles. If youโre interested in joining that number, save the date: Auditions for the next season of YOP will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2026!
Photos by Dave Pearson (@pearsonphoto2000).
#Cello #InternationalCelloDay #YouthOrchestra #ClassicalMusic #Orchestra
Join the Valentine for some holiday cheer on their picturesque block of East Clay Street! Take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage, enjoy a performance and partake in refreshments and family crafts. Students from the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Honors Chamber Ensembles will perform works by Beethoven, Dvoลรกk, and Schubert as part of this event.
Winter Wander 2025 โ๏ธ Hosted by the Valentine
Sunday, December 14 | 12:00 to 4:00pm
1015 East Clay Street, Richmond, VA 23219
12:45 to 1:30pm: Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Honors Chamber Ensembles perform
For more information, visit @thevalentinerva.
Photos by Dave Pearson Photography (@pearsonphoto2000).
#YouthOrchestra #ChamberMusic #RVAThingsToDo #StringQuartet #Violin
Flow state reached during our recent fall concert ๐โโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ๐โโ๏ธ
@rvasymphony #OrchestraMemes #MusicEd #Mozart #FlowState #ClassicalMusic
Another year wrapped for the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program, featuring Tchaikovsky, Mozart, and more โ
Whether you listened to classical music this year or not, drop your Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay highlights in the comments below!
@rvasymphony #ClassicalMusic #ClassicalMusicMemes #MusicEd #SpotifyWrapped #AppleMusicReplay
This October, nearly three thousand 3rd through 8th grade students from across Virginia joined us for our fall 2025 Hopkins-Eggleston Discovery Concerts, The Science of Sound! Together, we discovered how orchestral instruments create sound and the mechanics of sound waves from outer space to the deep sea. ๐ญ๐ถ
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Missed out on the fun? Registration is now open for our spring 2026 Discovery Concerts! These concerts will take place on February 18th and 19th and are open to public, private, and homeschool groups, targeting students in grades pre-K through 3.ย For more information and to register your school group, visit the link in our bio.
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Spring 2026 Hopkins-Eggleston Discovery Concert: Carnival of the Animals ๐ฆข๐ฆ๐ข๐๐
Wednesday, February 18 and Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 10:30am
Carpenter Theatre at the Dominion Energy Center
Photos by Christian Thesken of True North Productions (@truenorthprods).
RICHMOND SYMPHONY VISION STATEMENT:
We change lives through the power of music.
RICHMOND SYMPHONY MISSION STATEMENT:
The Richmond Symphony performs,
teaches, and champions music to inspire and
unite our communities.