Never miss a surprise or a concert!
Never miss a surprise or a concert!
Our youth enjoy free instruction, rehearsal and performance space, because many generous locals have donated funds and time to develop local talent. Like Arlene Warner whose newly established Music Scholarship Fund will keep the APYO going for years to come.
Speaking of which, if you're wondering whether this is something your child may want to join, APYO concerts are free. So, there's little risk. (But if you did feel like giving, we hope to get the Arlene M. Warner Music Scholarship Fund up to $50,000 before this May 2, 2022 date so your donation will be matched! And we're very close. Give here.)
This was the APYO's end-of-season concert after an especially challenging season. We received a warm reception from a home audience in the Thaden school's magnificent new Performing Arts Center.
The Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra (APO) team believes in making classical music fun and educational for local young people. We do that by teaching those who are keen to learn and by making it accessible for others who may be even just a little curious.
Our school is named in honor of Iris Louise McPhetridge Thaden (1905-1979). Born and raised in Bentonville, she was a proud Arkansan and one of the greatest aviators of her time. Her childhood home (McPhetridge House), which originally stood on West Central Avenue in downtown Bentonville, was saved from demolition in 2017 and now serves as our Office of Admissions. Our 30-acre campus also has a rich history: it served as the home of the Benton County Fair for nearly 80 years and, prior to that, was the site of other educational institutions, including Bentonville High School when Louise McPhetridge was a student there in the early 1920s.
Her pioneering and innovative spirit inspires our efforts to create a school that gives students roots and wings as they build strong foundations and soar to new heights in pursuit of their dreams.
