Celebrating the FWYO Class of 2026

Lauren Arie
23h
3 min read

Eighty-one graduating seniors earn more than $3 million in college scholarships.

As the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra closes another remarkable season, we are proud to celebrate our graduating Class of 2026—81 talented young musicians whose dedication, leadership, and achievements have left a lasting mark on our organization.

Collectively, this year's graduates have earned more than $3 million in college scholarships and will continue their education at universities across the country. Whether pursuing careers in music, engineering, education, public service, and beyond, these students exemplify the excellence, discipline, and creativity that define the FWYO experience.

Gallery Left to Right: Youth Orchestra Seniors, Philharmonic Orchestra Seniors, Wind Ensemble Seniors

By the Numbers:

81 graduating seniors
93% pursuing STEAM majors
53% pursuing music or music-related majors
12 future music educators
3 years average tenure at FWYO
14 years longest tenure at FWYO
1,313 average SAT score (Texas average: 971)

In addition to celebrating the entire graduating class, we are proud to recognize the recipients of this year's FWYO Parents' Guild Scholarships. Each year, the Parents' Guild awards four $500 scholarships through a competitive essay contest. Essays are reviewed anonymously by a committee consisting of members of both the Parents' Guild and the FWYO Board of Directors.

This year's scholarship recipients are:

Nathan Chan

Nathan has been a member of the FWYO for two seasons and has played bass trombone in the Philharmonic Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and FWYO Jazz. He will attend Tarleton State University.

Ronnie Cunningham

Ronnie has been a member of the Philharmonic Orchestra cello section for one season. He will study political science at Howard University.

Layla Detty

Layla has been a member of the FWYO for three seasons and has played oboe & En

glish horn in the Youth Orchestra and Philharmonic Orchestra. She will study biomedical sciences at Texas A&M University.

Aiden Flora

Aiden has been a member of the FWYO for five seasons and has played viola in the Youth Orchestra, String Orchestra and Chamber Music. He also played piano with FWYO Jazz. Earlier this season, he earned second place in the Young Artists Division of our Concerto Competition and performed as a featured soloist in the Spring Concert. He will study music performance and psychology at the University of Texas.

We are deeply proud of Nathan, Ronnie, Layla, Aiden, and all 81 members of the Class of 2026. Their accomplishments reflect years of hard work, artistic growth, and commitment to excellence. As they begin the next chapter of their journeys, we know they will continue to make an impact in their communities, their professions, and the world beyond the concert hall.

Congratulations, Class of 2026!

About FWYO:

Celebrating 60 years of extraordinary music education during the 2024-2025 season, the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra has won local, national, and international recognition as one of the finest youth orchestra programs in the United States. Through ten programs - including four major orchestras, two wind ensembles, a jazz band, Early Childhood Music, FWYO Suzuki School, and chamber programs - the FWYO delivers high-quality musical instruction to nearly 500 students ranging in age from four to eighteen years, representing communities throughout North Texas.

Founded by a community group headed by Betty Utter and under the direction of conductors Ezra Rachlin and John Giordano, the FWYO was founded to promote and inspire the continuing development of musical talent in qualified area youth through intensive education in classical orchestral rooted music and performance. The programs offer students the opportunity to further develop their talent as well as their leadership skills, self-discipline, confidence, and pride in personal achievement. Many of the nearly 20,000 alumni of the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra program have gone on to become members of major symphony orchestras, music educators, or leaders in their fields.

The Orchestra's accomplishments include international concert tours in Europe, Mexico, Canada, and the Far East; music festivals in Switzerland and Washington, D.C.; and numerous other concert appearances across Texas and the Southwest. Its most recent tour in 2024 was to Spain with performances in Barcelona, Valencia, and Cullera. The Youth Orchestra has also been honored to perform with artists such as Van Cliburn, Jose Feghali, Yakov Kasman, Tamàs Ungàr, and John Owings, and composers Morton Gould and Samuel Adler. In 2021, the FWYO also received 2nd in the Youth Orchestra Division of the prestigious American Prize and 3rd place in the 2024 American Prize. The Wind Ensemble also won 1st place in the American Prize Youth Band division in 2024.

Under the leadership of Music Director Dr. Germán Gutiérrez since 2000 and Executive Director Andrew Reynolds since 2021, the FWYO has become one of North Texas’ most prestigious performing arts organizations. In addition to its educational programs, the FWYO owns and operates historic Orchestra Hall, located in Foster Park, which has been home to numerous performing arts organizations since 1975.