Donate to NOTES 2021 today!

February 10, 2020

Dear Family and Friends,

I am writing to you on behalf of an organization that is very important to me, the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO). This is the time of year when EYSO asks its members (me) to help raise money for our annual fundraising campaign: NOTES. The funds we raise for EYSO helps to keep tuition affordable for EYSO families and provides young musicians, like me, opportunities to take advantage of unique music programs that allows me to perform for audiences. EYSO also provides its musicians with quality music education. I am asking you, my family and friends, to join me in supporting EYSO.

This year is EYSO’s 45th season of making music. We have five orchestras, a brass choir, two percussion ensembles, and a chamber music program with nearly 350 students from fourth grade through college! We perform three concerts each year, along with other performance opportunities in the community. This year our theme is Myths & Legends, and the preparations for each concert has us explore how our own personal and cultural myths and legends influence our worldview. While this is a unique year for coming together to present music, we are being creative and adapting to the many challenges that continue to make music possible in my life.

As you may know, I have been playing the violin since I was six years old. It has been a musical journey that will probably stay with me forever. As a member of EYSO, I have been able to improve my playing while make so many new friends. I like being part of EYSO because it gets me involved as a team and helps to shape my future. EYSO has not just improved my violin skills, but also my social skills like meeting and interacting with people by playing music together. We solve problems in our pieces and work together to improve the piece and strengthen our section. I think playing music also helps me earn good grades in school.

EYSO is a non-profit, youth-based organization. The tuition we pay only covers one third of the total cost of each member’s participation, so fundraising is an important role for each of us. Our NOTES campaign helps keep tuition reasonable and offsets program costs. Many of our music programs bring music into the community!

Please consider donating to help us meet our goal of $60,000, and my own personal goal of $750. Your support will benefit everyone at EYSO.

Donating is easy! You can donate online by credit card via my campaign page, or mail a check made payable to EYSO to me directly. Once the NOTES campaign is completed, you will receive a donation acknowledgment from EYSO for tax purposes. The campaign runs until March 27th and all contributions to the EYSO are tax deductible, as allowable by law.

Thank you very much for joining me in my musical journey and supporting the organization that means so much to me, and many others!

Many, many thanks,

Brynn Palmer

P.S. Come hear us perform! Check out our schedule at EYSO.org or view video clips from our November 2020 concert on YouTube.