Donate to NOTES 2021 today!

To whomever this may reach,

Hello! My name is Cate Winsor, and I'm a violinist for the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO). This is my sixth year with this wonderful organization, having been a part of it since the Fall of 2015. I wanted to share the story of my experience with EYSO with you.

In the beginning, as a fifth grader, I was really intimidated going into my first year in an auditioned music ensemble. However, all of my worries melted away when I met the other students there. They all shared the same interests as me, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged to something.

I'm now in my sixth season with EYSO, and I can safely say those feelings haven't changed one bit. My experience with EYSO has not only helped me grow as a musician, but it also taught me how to be a better person who is more prepared for the challenges the world has to offer.

Throughout my teenage years, I experienced a lot of loss and hardship, ultimately leading to problems with my mental health. Through those dark times, music was the one thing keeping me going. Sunday rehearsals with EYSO were the times that I could ground myself and be reminded of what I'll always love: playing and experiencing the power of music.

In this time of what seems to be endless uncertainty, EYSO has been that grounding force for me more than ever. Many youth orchestras in the Chicago area are either not operating in person or not operating at all. I'm so proud to say that EYSO has persevered in finding safe ways for us to still rehearse in person and get the experience of playing and making music as a group.

You know as well as I do-- nothing is normal right now. Things are constantly changing, and there's always something new we have to adhere to. As a sophomore in high school, the abnormality of my schedule adds a huge factor into my already-stressful academic endeavors.

In the midst of all this change, however, my time in rehearsal with EYSO has been a place where I can take a deep breath and release my stress while playing my instrument. EYSO is the one constant-- the single sense of normalcy I have at this moment in time.

That being said, for all that EYSO has done for me and for many other students, would you be willing to donate to our NOTES campaign in support of this organization? Any amount helps, no matter how big or small. You would be making a difference in the lives of many.

You can donate to me directly on this website, or contact me at cmwmusic04@gmail.com for other arrangements.

Thank you so much for reading my story!

Best regards,

Cate Winsor

--

EYSO is collecting donations as part of our annual fundraising event: the NOTES campaign. This campaign runs from January 24 to March 28.

The purpose of the campaign is to help keep tuition affordable for EYSO members by encouraging EYSO families to collect donations from friends, family, co-workers, neighbors--and you! All contributions to the EYSO are tax-deductible, as allowable by law.

Would you, or someone you know, be willing to donate to EYSO?

This year, we are celebrating our 45th season with the theme Myths & Legends! We have five orchestras, a brass choir, two percussion ensembles, and a chamber music program with nearly 300 students from fourth grade through college. We perform three concerts each year, and each concert explores a different connection between music and movement. You can learn more about us at EYSO.org.

Tuition covers only one-third of the total cost of each member’s participation in EYSO. Our NOTES campaign helps keep tuition reasonable and offsets program costs.

Please consider donating to EYSO to help Youth Symphony meet its goal. More importantly, it will help benefit everyone in EYSO.

Once the NOTES campaign is completed, you will receive a donation acknowledgment from EYSO for tax purposes. The campaign runs until March 28.

Thanks very much for your support!

P.S. Hear EYSO perform! Click here for the season schedule or click here to explore video clips on our YouTube channel