Donate to NOTES 2021 today!

Hello, this is Harry Graham. I play the Viola in the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra (EYSO).

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.

I have been with the EYSO for the past four years, and have learned much more about music and working in a team than I ever have before. I have gone from the high-intermediate level orchestra, “Sinfonia”, up to the advanced orchestra, “Philharmonia””, and am currently in the highest level, flagship orchestra, “Youth Symphony”, where I’ve been for two years. Two years ago, in Philharmonia, I performed a solo with the orchestra through the EYSO Concerto Competition. That in itself offered a unique and valuable experience, with one-on-one collaboration with the director and orchestra. This year, I was able to audition again for the higher level Concerto Competition and earned an honorable mention. EYSO overall, has offered an unparalleled experience for all musicians, that teaches you how to perform in a group and play challenging music, gives you an opportunity to open your library of repertoire, and gives you a special way of understanding the music you play, as well as a personal connection to those you work.

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