Several musicians, including
Walter Susskind, then the music director of the
Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and
Ezra Schabas helped to found NYO Canada in 1960, for the purpose of allowing young musicians to gain experience needed to play in professional orchestras. In 1996, the delegates to the World Youth Orchestra Conference in
Tokyo, who represented 39 countries, voted to award NYO Canada the "Best Youth Orchestra in the World". More than 40% of the professional musicians in Canadian orchestras have previously played in NYO Canada. Resident conductors of NYO Canada have included
Victor Feldbrill, who served in the post from 1960 to 1964, and subsequently in 1969 and in 1975. Georg Tintner conducted the orchestra for a number of years, ending in 1989. Past
composers-in-residence include
Kelly-Marie Murphy (2006-2008). In 2009, NYO Canada performed its first-ever concert streamed in its entirety over the internet. In 2017, NYO Canada commissioned a large art installation titled
Four Seasons of the Canadian Flag, to be displayed as part of their tour in the year of the
150th anniversary of Canada. In 2018, the orchestra performed at
Young Euro Classic in
Berlin and at the
Edinburgh International Festival. In December 2021, NYO Canada announced the orchestra would be led by Sascha Goetzel for 2022 and 2023, who had first guest-conducted NYO Canada in November 2019. In December 2023, it was announced that Naomi Woo would serve as principal conductor for the NYO's 2024–2025 season. Woo is the first woman to lead the orchestra since its founding. ==See also==