Where Waikato's young musicians grow together
Summer Gala 2025
- Saturday, December 6th, 7:30 PM
- Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts
Join us for an evening of classical masterpieces and contemporary favorites performed by our talented young musicians. View our complete 2025 schedule.
Tickets: Pay cash on entry
Experience the Magic
Featured Performance
Witness the joy and talent of the United Youth Orchestra in this special performance. You'll hear our young musicians' absolute delight as they play the iconic main theme from Studio Ghibli's My Neighbor Totoro. This particular encore perfectly embodies UYO's mission: it connects, energizes, and moves people across all ages and cultures. We were especially touched by an adult audience member who loved it so much, he personally asked for the piece's name — a wonderful example of our music's lasting impression. Experience the magic for yourself.
Discover More PerformancesWho we are
United Youth Orchestra in brief
We are a Hamilton-based orchestra of young musicians aged 11–21 who rehearse weekly, perform major concerts, tour the Waikato, and build lifelong friendships through music.
Founded in 2003 with 30 members, we have grown into a multicultural ensemble representing over 10 nationalities. Our mission is to help young players reach their potential in orchestral, chamber, and solo work through structured guidance from our conducting team and senior leaders.
Find Your Section
Our Instrument Families
We welcome players of all orchestral instruments. Find your section and join us.
We are actively seeking talented string players to join our orchestra, particularly first violin and viola. While we welcome inquiries from all musicians, opportunities for additional clarinet and flute players are currently limited to those at a high performance level.
Strings
Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass
Woodwind
Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon
Brass
Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Alto Sax
Percussion
Timpani, Bass Drum, Triangle, Pair Cymbals
EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC
Immerse Yourself in Our Sound
Journey through our captivating video gallery of concerts and glimpse shining moments in our photo archives. Experience the passion and magic of the UYO from anywhere.