Beginning a community youth orchestra can be one of the most rewarding--and draining--experiences in music education. Forming a group requires administrative expertise, interpersonal skills, expert musicianship, and a lot of elbow grease. The author used all these attributes and skills when he founded the Spanish Fork (Utah) Chamber Players Preparatory Orchestra. In this article, he offers some ideas and suggestions based on lessons he learned during his work with this orchestra to those considering a similar venture. (Contains 4 online resources.)