The Michigan Philharmonic Youth Orchestra was founded in 2003 as the Celebration Youth Orchestra by Nan Washburn, the award-winning conductor of the Plymouth Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra started with only six string players, but it grew each year, and in 2008 Nan added a flute choir. In 2009, she assumed the position of Artistic Director and Principal Conductor.
In 2011, the Plymouth Symphony became the Michigan Philharmonic, and the CYO was renamed the Michigan Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (MPYO).
In June 2017, Nan Washburn stepped down as the artistic director and principal conductor of the MPYO and took on an advisory role in the MPYO while continuing to lead the Michigan Philharmonic. Hektor Qyteti, who previously conducted only the MPYO’s Strings and Sinfonia ensembles, became the new Artistic Director and Principal Conductor. Joanna Goldstein, a flutist in the Michigan Philharmonic, became the director of the Flute Choir. Joanna also created a new ensemble, the Wind Ensemble, to prepare players of wind instruments besides the flute for orchestral music.
In September 2019, Joanna Goldstein stepped down as conductor of the Wind Ensemble and Flute Choir. Dennis Carter, the principal flutist of the Michigan Philharmonic, became the new conductor of the Wind Ensemble and Flute Choir.
For the 2024-25 season, the Flute Choir was merged into the Wind Ensemble. Additionally, Dennis Carter stepped down, and Kevin Naeve became the new director of the Wind Ensemble.
Today, the Michigan Philharmonic Youth Orchestra consists of about 70 students from several communities in southeast Michigan, performing both standard and innovative orchestral works, much like the Michigan Philharmonic.