History
The El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestras (EPSYOs) was founded by Music Director, Benjamin Loeb in the fall of 2005 following in the traditions established by former El Paso Symphony Music Director, Abraham Chavez and UTEP professor Dr. Marcia Fountain as an educational program of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra to serve the Region’s Best Young Musicians. The EPSYOs currently has over 250 members in 9 levels of orchestras, ranging in age from 8 up to college undergraduate. EPSYOs members are drawn from every school district in El Paso County, Las Cruces and Alamogordo, New Mexico, Juarez, Mexico and El Paso Community College, New Mexico State University, and University of Texas at El Paso. During the 2006 - 2007 season, EPSYOs achieved national recognition by being awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Learning through the Arts Grant. EPSYOs also receives state and local support from the Texas Commission on the Arts and the City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department.