The Mississippi Youth Symphony Orchestra

POI is a weeklong festival offered by the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra as an educational camp devoted to the intense study, practice, mastery, and performance of orchestral music and is attended by all levels of students and career professionals from the United States, South America, and Europe each year. Distinguished POI faculty conduct daily master classes and perform evening concerts. 

 

This year's festival featured the inaugural Viola Competition where the first prize was a viola valued at $10,000 made specifically for the competition by Alessandro Alberi, a talented luthier from Columbia. The second prize was a specially designed viola bow by Alberi valued at $7,500 and the third prize was a $500 cash award. 

 

After a weeklong preparation, the festival concluded with closing concerts performed by all of the orchestras of POI.