Portland Youth Philharmonic

The Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) is the oldest youth orchestra in the United States, established in 1924 as the Portland Junior Symphony (PJS). Now based in Portland, Oregon, the orchestra's origin dates back to 1910 when music teacher Mary V. Dodge began playing music for local children in Burns. Dodge purchased instruments for the children and organized the orchestra which would become known as the Sagebrush Symphony Orchestra. After touring throughout the U.S. state of Oregon, including a performance at the Oregon State Fair in Salem, the orchestra disbanded in 1918 when Dodge moved to Portland. There, Dodge opened a violin school and became music director of the Irvington School Orchestra. Hoping to create a permanent youth symphony, Dodge approached Jacques Gershkovitch in 1924 to lead the orchestra as music director of the Portland Junior Symphony. The ensemble performed for the first time in 1925, and by the 1930s PJS concerts were being broadcast nationally. Following Gershkovitch's death in 1953, alumnus Jacob Avshalomov became the orchestra's music director. The ensemble's name was changed to the Portland Youth Philharmonic in 1978.