The Young Artist Orchestra (YAO) is the top-level ensemble of Greenville County Youth Orchestras.  Its members are talented high school students from throughout Greenville County who play an orchestral instrument. They are led by Mr. Neil Casey, an expert in youth orchestra leadership and currently the strings teacher at St. Joseph's Catholic School. 

YAO Alumni have attended prestigious music schools and top academic institutions including The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, and The Cleveland Institute of Music, Stanford, Duke University, among others. Alumni currently perform with highly-regarded orchestras across the country, including holding leadership positions with the Greenville Symphony (Principal Cello) and the New Jersey Symphony (Assistant Principal Second Violin). The YAO quest for excellence was nurtured by long-serving conductor Dr. Gary Robinson and continues to thrive today. Last year they went on tour and performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. 

Greenville County Youth Orchestras (GCYO) is a non-profit youth orchestra program made possible by private supporters and Greenville County Schools. It is comprised of four ensembles: Prelude, Intermezzo, Philharmonic, and the Young Artist Orchestra. These groups range from a beginning strings program to a pre-collegiate full orchestra ensemble.