Senior Symphony

Advanced symphony orchestra with 125 members which performs a variety of major concerts and tours globally.

Myso’s flagship orchestra

The Senior Symphony performs standard orchestral repertoire at the highest caliber. The orchestra has performed in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls to enthusiastic audience response.

The Senior Symphony has achieved an enviable international reputation for excellence. Tours have included concerts in China, Austria, Hungary, Spain, Italy, Scotland, Canada, and more. In 2017 the orchestra embarked on a ten-day tour to the cities of Buenos Aires and Rosario in Argentina, and to Montevideo, Uruguay.

At a Glance

125 members in Symphony Orchestra
Rehearsals generally on Monday evenings
Most students are in grades 10-12
Over 50 years of domestic and international tours
Music Director: Ms. Margery Deutsch

Upcoming Events

No upcoming events found for this program; check back soon!

Music Director

Carter Simmons

Artistic Director and Carter Simmons has worked with the musicians and families of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) since 1992. In addition to leading the artistic and program staff, he is Music Director of MYSO’s Senior Symphony and Chamber Orchestra. During his tenure, the organization has grown to serve 7,000 students and received the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award. Mr. Simmons is Music Director of Milwaukee’s Festival City Symphony and has been invited to conduct for the Milwaukee Ballet, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Starry Nights Orchestra featuring artists of the Florentine Opera, and the Wisconsin Philharmonic. He has conducted MYSO in Beijing’s Forbidden City Concert Hall and in Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, and has accompanied the orchestra for its performances in: New York’s Carnegie Hall, Valencia’s Palau de la Música, Prague’s Dvořák Hall, Budapest’s Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, Argentina and Uruguay, Ireland, and the Musikverein, home of the Vienna Philharmonic. Mr. Simmons has been appointed Music Director of MYSO’s Senior Symphony starting in the 2020-2021 season. More

Artistic Director and Carter Simmons has worked with the musicians and families of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO) since 1992. In addition to leading the artistic and program staff, he is Music Director of MYSO’s Senior Symphony and Chamber Orchestra. During his tenure, the organization has grown to serve 7,000 students and received the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award. Mr. Simmons is Music Director of Milwaukee’s Festival City Symphony and has been invited to conduct for the Milwaukee Ballet, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Starry Nights Orchestra featuring artists of the Florentine Opera, and the Wisconsin Philharmonic. He has conducted MYSO in Beijing’s Forbidden City Concert Hall and in Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, and has accompanied the orchestra for its performances in: New York’s Carnegie Hall, Valencia’s Palau de la Música, Prague’s Dvořák Hall, Budapest’s Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, Argentina and Uruguay, Ireland, and the Musikverein, home of the Vienna Philharmonic. Mr. Simmons has been appointed Music Director of MYSO’s Senior Symphony starting in the 2020-2021 season.

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String Advisor

Yuka Kadota

Originally from Whitestone, NY, Yuka Kadota is a graduate of Indiana University with a Bachelor of Music and Performer Diploma in Violin Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. Her major teachers were Henryk Kowalski and Franco Gulli. She completed graduate studies at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden. Ms. Kadota began her professional orchestral career at the age of 24 with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and held the title of associate concertmaster for six seasons. She has been a featured soloist with that orchestra and during her tenure was also the second violinist of the Freimann Quartet, the Quartet in Residence of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Since 2004, Ms. Kadota has been on faculty of the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC. Ms. Kadota has given performances at the White House, the Vatican, and the UN General Assembly for such dignitaries as First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Pope John Paul II, and Secretary General Boutros-Boutros Gali. In addition to performing as a soloist with several orchestras in the New York area, she has been broadcast in Italy on the Vatican Radio and Chicago on WFMT, and she has appeared on a televised broadcast of the BBC… More

Originally from Whitestone, NY, Yuka Kadota is a graduate of Indiana University with a Bachelor of Music and Performer Diploma in Violin Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. Her major teachers were Henryk Kowalski and Franco Gulli. She completed graduate studies at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden.

Ms. Kadota began her professional orchestral career at the age of 24 with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and held the title of associate concertmaster for six seasons. She has been a featured soloist with that orchestra and during her tenure was also the second violinist of the Freimann Quartet, the Quartet in Residence of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. Since 2004, Ms. Kadota has been on faculty of the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC.

Ms. Kadota has given performances at the White House, the Vatican, and the UN General Assembly for such dignitaries as First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, Pope John Paul II, and Secretary General Boutros-Boutros Gali. In addition to performing as a soloist with several orchestras in the New York area, she has been broadcast in Italy on the Vatican Radio and Chicago on WFMT, and she has appeared on a televised broadcast of the BBC Proms with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Since 2007, Ms. Kadota has performed regularly as an extra violinist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and joined them for the entire 2011-12 season. She has toured with the CSO throughout the United States and abroad, most recently touring Russia and Italy with Music Director Riccardo Muti. Through the CSO, she has had the privilege of working with other esteemed conductors, including Bernard Haitink, Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim, Valery Gergiev, Charles Dutoit, and Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Ms. Kadota has been a member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra since the 2013-14 season and has represented the MSO as a member of the Emmy Award-winning All-Star Orchestra, an orchestra comprised of musicians from various top-tier American orchestras.