The National Youth Orchestra of Sri Lanka was established by the Ministry of Education in 1992 to provide opportunities and training free of charge through an Instrument Leasing arrangement, to students throughout the island to develop useful life-skills and aesthetic values and to enable those mainly from rural schools to appreciate and perform western orchestral music alongside their urban counterparts.
In 2012 the National Youth Orchestra of Sri Lanka celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a special concert. The repertoire for this concert will include: The 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky, Flourish for wind band by Vaughan Williams and the Gold and Silver Waltz by Lehar.
We also give prominence to our local composers who have completed their formal education in Music Composition from highly regarded Universities from across the world. Three dedicated works based on traditional folksongs will also be given much emphasis.