Student testimonials

“From the first notes of the William Tell overture I was blown away by the sound of strings for the first time, and I was so interested in the sound of an ensemble where everyone cared. My high school is small, and few people play with excellence, so in that room, I realized music could be so much more than I had already known. A couple of weeks into rehearsals I sat down with my parents, and I told them I knew what I wanted to do, and that I would be a performer and educator.”

“The Youth Orchestra has done so much to increase my confidence and self-esteem as a musician and most importantly as a human being. It has shown me teamwork, dedication, and the pursuit of excellence, values that I can apply to other parts of my life. I see now that loving music means striving for beauty not only through your instrument but in whatever you do.”

“The Youth Orchestra has taught me skills that will be useful in my secondary education, given me the opportunity to play repertoire that I may not play anywhere else, and has made me a better musician, overall.”

“The Youth Orchestra gave me the chance to meet other young musicians outside of my school. It is very encouraging to see so many others, my age, as enthusiastic about music as I am.”

“The Youth Orchestra will hold a special place in my heart for the rest of my life and I hope all of the incoming musicians will have an amazing experience like I did.”

“YSUYO is nothing short of amazing connections and interactions with other talented and determined students from the area.”

“The YSUYO makes me feel like I matter, that my sound is needed and wanted, and I could not have asked for anything more than that.”