The West Island Youth Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1985 at the urging of the mayors from several West Island municipalities and with the assistance of the Conseil des Arts de Montréal. Carole Corman was the first conductor and since then, the orchestra has been led by Véronique Lacroix, Giuseppe Pietraroia, Stewart Grant, David Martin, and Jean-Pascal Hamelin. To cater to younger musicians, the String Orchestra was formed in 1988 and has been led by the artistic director Jean Ai Seow since 1995.

In September 2024, Georges-Étienne d'Entremont will be handed the baton and become the new artistic director and conductor for the Symphony Orchestra. WIYSO will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in the 2025-2026 season.