May Music Month - Manawatū Youth Orchestra

Star Wars Film Scores Classical music for the masses! Within the masses! Join us at Palmy BID's May The 4th Be With You Market to experience the Manawatū Youth Orchestra perform as part of May Music Month 2025.

The Manawatū Youth Orchestra began with humble roots, performing its first informal concert at Freyberg High School. By 1966, the orchestra’s growth and progress paved the way for the creation of a more advanced ensemble—the Manawatū Sinfonia. Starting with just thirty talented musicians, including graduates of the Youth Orchestra and other skilled players from Palmerston North and surrounding areas, the Sinfonia presented its inaugural concert in April 1967.

Today, the Manawatū Youth Orchestra is a vibrant group with approximately 50 young musicians, performing two major concerts annually. The Manawatū Sinfonia has also flourished, now offering three main concerts each year, often featuring a professional soloist in concertos and performing large-scale symphonies. Both orchestras continue to inspire and bring together the community through music, providing a platform for musicians of all ages to develop and showcase their talents.