Originally named Chapel Hill’s Children’s Orchestra, Piedmont Youth Orchestra began under the direction of Dorothy Alden at
UNC-Chapel Hill.  Miss Alden, a violinist with the North Carolina Symphony, wanted to introduce children to the study and
performance of the orchestral repertoire, teaching the traditions of the past to create the musicians of the future.  Over the years,
some of our accomplished members have been: Dawn Hannay of the New York Philharmonic, Sandy Yamamoto of the Miró Quartet,
Jennifer Curtis of the J Quartet, and James Taylor.