Imagine stepping into the spotlight with thrilling side-by-side concerts alongside the acclaimed Billings Symphony Orchestra, and diving into exclusive workshops with top-notch guest artists and our very own Symphony stars!  Our weekly rehearsals with experienced conductors will help you refine your skills and set the stage ablaze every fall and spring in your own sensational concerts!

The Billings Symphony Youth Orchestra is the ultimate hub for extraordinary orchestral experiences and emerging talent in the Billings area. Open by audition to students from preschool through college—including those from home schools and rural communities—this is where the future of music takes center stage. Along with our Youth Ensemble groups, we also have chamber groups for Winds, Brass and Percussion. Get ready to experience a season full of dazzling performances and incredible musical growth!

REGISTRATION FOR THE 2025-2026 SEASON IS NOW OPEN

GET TO KNOW THE CONDUCTORS:

Michael Mleko | Repertory Orchestra Conductor

Introducing our new Repertory Orchestra Conductor,

REPERTORY ORCHESTRA:

Members perform standard orchestral repertoire, demonstrating mature technical and musical proficiency. During the Billing Symphony season, Repertory Orchestra members will have the opportunity to perform side-by-side with the Billings Symphony!

Michael Mleko!

In addition to serving as a tenured violinist with the Billings Symphony Orchestra, he has performed with most ensembles in the Montana region, including Helena Symphony, Bozeman Symphony, Great Falls Symphony, Butte Symphony, Big Sky Strings, Big Sky Classical Music Festival Orchestra, and the Montana Ballet Company Orchestra. With a career in music spanning over two decades, Mr. Mleko is also a teacher and orchestra director with the Billings Public Schools, as well as the former Assistant Conductor of the Helena Symphony Orchestra. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Montana State University, in addition to studying with noted violinists Carrie Krause, Angella Ahn, and Stephen Cepeda, as well as noted conductors Ovidiu Marinescu and Allan R. Scott.

Lindsey Selman | Young Artist Orchestra Conductor

Young Artists:

Members of this ensemble boast two or more years of experience, having honed their advanced note-reading skills and playing with exceptional tone and intonation. Students will be developing and applying vibrato techniques, while mastering more advanced key signatures and rhythms.

A Yellowstone County native, Lindsey Selman began her musical studies at the age of five. In 2010, she earned a BA in church music with an emphasis on violin performance from Heartland Baptist Bible College in Oklahoma City, and has spent several years involved in church music, performing, directing, recording, and leading workshops across the US, Canada, and Russia. In addition to BSYO, Lindsey also performs and teaches with several other local organizations, including the Billings Symphony and Stillwater String Quartet, and maintains a studio of private students.

Kristi Kazmierski | Concert Orchestra Conductor

Concert Orchestra:

Members possess around two years of playing experience and have developed strong note-reading skills, good tone, and accurate intonation. The selected repertoire remains primarily in the first position, yet advanced beginners will be challenged with parts that require playing in higher positions

Kristi Kazmierski is a violinist with the Billings Symphony Orchestra and has played with them since 1993. She has been studying violin since age 4 and performs with several professional symphonies and ensembles in the Rocky Mountain region. Kristi has collaborated with Mannheim Steamroller, Jewel, Disturbed, Kenny Loggins, Weird Al Yankovic, The Fifth Dimension, Cirque Musica, and others. She frequently performs with Grant Fergurson and the Modern Rock Orchestra. She loves volunteering to bring music to schools, retirement homes, and public events. She has maintained a private studio since 1995, teaching violin and sharing her passion for music. A graduate of Billings Senior high, she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Montana State University Billings.

Barbara Kirk | Preludio Strings Conductor

Preludio Strings:

Members of this ensemble generally possess around one year of playing experience and have limited proficiency in note reading. The program introduces them to the foundational aspects of orchestral performance; emphasis is placed on developing music reading skills to pave the way for future success in orchestral settings.

Barb has always lived a life immersed in music. A member of the Billings Symphony since ninth grade, she plays regularly in orchestras throughout Montana and Wyoming, and has, thus, had the pleasure of performing with a plethora of diverse artists, including Red Skelton, Glen Campbell, Chet Atkins, Tom Jones, Doc Severinsen, Moody Blues, Wynonna Judd, Kansas, and Mannheim Steamroller. Some of the highlights of her career are playing in the Helena Summer Symphony with Mark O’Connor, and performing with Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Midori, Joshua Bell, and Evelyn Glennie with the Great Falls Symphony. She received her bachelor’s degree in music education from MSU-Billings and her master’s degree in teaching from Grand Canyon University, and since 1970, has maintained a private violin studio. She is honored to be a part of BSYO.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BILLINGS SYMPHONY YOUTH ORCHESTRA

EXPERIENCE MONTANA YOUTH SYMPHONY IN BILLINGS

This August the Montana Youth Symphony is coming to Billings to perform their Gala Concert. It is set to be an great night with plenty of our own Billings musicians playing—including our own Billings Symphony assistant concert master Rosie Weiss. With their largest orchestra to date this will be a night of Montana music and excellence.