An International Destination for Cultural Exchange and Musical Excellence, Created for the Next Generation of Classical Musicians

WHAT DOES ATLANTA FESTIVAL ACADEMY OFFER?

Atlanta Festival Academy gathers young musicians from around the globe to learn from world-class instructors and artists, perform awe-inspiring music, and most importantly, develop lifelong friendships based upon the creation of art together and the exchange of cultural knowledge.

Current Atlanta Festival Academy programs include:

  • 2 Summer Camps
  • 3 Youth Orchestras
  • Master Class Series
We invite you to discover how AFA’s many programs inspire musicians and music-lovers alike!

ATLANTA FESTIVAL YOUTH ORCHESTRAS

Atlanta Festival Academy offers three youth orchestras that meet during the school year, all of which give friends made in AFA’s summer programs the chance to continue performing music together all year long!

The Atlanta Festival Symphony Orchestra offers experienced string, wind, brass, and percussion players the opportunity to explore the rich and challenging literature of the full orchestra repertoire.  Atlanta Festival Symphony Orchestra’s performances go beyond the concert stage to include the Georgia State Capitol and exciting Lunar New Year festivities!

 The Atlanta Festival Chamber Orchestra gives string players in elementary school and middle school an amazing opportunity to play in a high-quality, large ensemble from a young age. Designed for students who may not even have a school orchestra yet, the Chamber Orchestra provides a fun environment to begin learning from a conductor while playing with a variety of instruments.

The Atlanta Festival Virtuosi offers high-level string players the opportunity to perform fantastic string ensemble repertoire full of lush melodies and vigorous technical passages. 

Auditions for Atlanta Festival Youth Orchestra’s 2024-2025 seasons are held on a rolling basis. We eagerly welcome interested young musicians to reach out, especially as we prepare for our Spring 2025 concert cycle!

APPLY NOW TO AUDITION!

News and Updates!

Atlanta Festival Youth Orchestras’ Fall Concert!

Come hear AFYO’s Chamber and Symphony Orchestras on Tuesday, October 29 at 7pm!

Our Chamber Orchestra includes young musicians just beginning their orchestral journeys, while the Virtuosi features some of the most musically gifted students in the Southeast.

And our Symphony Orchestra will spotlight cellist Nile Solomon playing Saint-Saens’s thrilling Cello Concerto No. 1 and violinist Didi Stone performing Wienawski’s stunning showpiece Scherzo-Tarantella!

Don’t miss out on this amazing concert that is FREE and open to the public. We’ll see you Tuesday, October 29 at 7pm in the Northview High School Auditorium!

Pictures and Videos from 2024's France Trip!

A wide variety of pictures from Atlanta Festival Academy’s 2024 European Orchestra Camp and Bastille Day Concert with Simon Zhu can be viewed here.

A YouTube video playlist for AFA’s 2024 Bastille Day Concert in Selles-sur-Cher, France can be seen here.

AFA VIDEOS!

To watch the amazing individual performances from our fantastic annual Finale concerts and student chamber ensemble recitals please click here.

We would like to thank the following partnerships for making the Atlanta Festival Academy so successful.

Atlanta Festival Academy also expresses its sincere gratitude to the following government agencies, sponsors, and foundations for their financial support.