ɪt wʌz fˈaʊndᵻd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti tˈuː baɪ ˈɛɹən stˈɛn ænd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti θɹˈiː bɪkˌeɪm ðə fˈɜːst juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts jˈuːθ ˈɔːɹkᵻstɹə tə tˈʊɹ ɐbɹˈɔːd, pɚfˈɔːɹmɪŋ twˈɛlv kˈɑːnsɚts ɪn dʒəpˈæn, ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ ɐ dʒˈɔɪnt kˈɑːnsɚt wɪð tˈoʊkɪˌoʊ dʒˈuːnjɚɹ ˈɔːɹkᵻstɹə səsˈaɪəɾi.
It was founded in 1952 by Aaron Sten and in 1963 became the first United States youth orchestra to tour abroad, performing twelve concerts in Japan, including a joint concert with Tokyo Junior Orchestra Society.