Jessie Myers's Fundraiser
NOTES 2024!
Help Youth Symphony reach their goal by making a donation! By supporting the NOTES campaign, YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
A supporter of Jessie Myers
I donated in support of this campaign.
A supporter of Jessie Myers
I donated in support of this campaign.
$95
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Senajit & Pranjali Majumdar
"We enjoyed listening the concert at EYSO we are very proud of your performance and progress lots of love from Dada and Dadi"
$50
Ed Snoble
"Keep up the great work!"
$25
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Angela Vock
I donated in support of this campaign.
$25
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Matthew Turek
"Keep it up Jessie!"
$10
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David Wirthman
"Go create great music!"
$50
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George Fludas
"Go get 'em, Jessie! 👏🏻"
$50
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Lonnie Myers
"You and your orchestra are awesome Jessie! Keep making great music!"
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Christina Lorenc
"Jessie, We have a great deal of admiration for your talent and ability, as well as your determination and skill. May you continue to thrive!"
$25
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Aaron Hayes
I donated in support of this campaign.
Allison Winsor
I donated in support of this campaign.
$25
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Frank Wild
I donated in support of this campaign.
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The Merkels
I donated in support of this campaign.
$10
Hello!
My name is Jessie Myers. I’m a sophomore, and have been playing percussion for 6 years. I enjoy playing in my high school band, jazz band, and marching band, but have also been a part of the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras (EYSO) for the past 3 years. EYSO is a wonderful organization where young musicians come together to practice and perform advanced musical compositions. After spending a year in the Sinfonia orchestra followed by a year in the Philharmonia orchestra, I currently play with the Youth Symphony, EYSO’s most advanced orchestra, as well as the Youth Symphony Percussion Ensemble (YSPE) and Brass Choir. Through my experiences with EYSO, I have grown exponentially both as a musician and a person.
Why do I love EYSO?
- The music. The repertoire we play includes many, many advanced works from the world’s most famous classical composers. From Bach to William Grant Still to Sibelius, we have truly played some of the greatest works of classical music. In addition, the high standards set especially in the Youth Symphony and YSPE have drastically improved my playing abilities and attention to detail when learning a part. My favorite example of this was Rhythm Strip, a snare duet I performed with my fellow percussionist as part of the YSPE performance in November. As a college-level duet, the piece was both technically and rhythmically challenging, as well as requiring a high level of focus and communication between players. Although the learning curve on Rhythm Strip was sharp and fairly frustrating at times, it ended up being one of my favorite pieces over my time at EYSO, and the feeling of pride and accomplishment after performing it at the concert was amazing.
- The music appreciation. I know classical music may seem “boring” to some people, but through EYSO I have grown to absolutely love the genre. When we receive a new piece for an ensemble, we dive deep into the composer’s situation, emotion, and motivations when composing the piece. The way in which our EYSO conductors deconstruct a piece of music fosters an appreciation and admiration of classical music that would be difficult to find anywhere else.
- The people. From the students to conductors to staff and management at EYSO, I am truly part of a community. Everyone involved with EYSO is joined by a common appreciation of music, and a dedication to share music with the youth and our audiences. I have made amazing friends in rehearsals, and I’m always genuinely excited to spend my Sundays at EYSO. While standards at EYSO are set incredibly high, there is not a group of students more fit to meet, and often greatly exceed, the expectations. Everyone I’ve met at EYSO is incredibly motivated and truly excited to share music with the world.
- The opportunities. One of my favorite parts of EYSO is the many opportunities we are given to meet and learn from musicians outside the amazing faculty. We often have workshops taught by composers and music professors that give us a different perspective on our repertoire, and this concert cycle we have been fortunate enough to meet and work with the composer of pieces for both Brass Choir and Youth Symphony. In addition, I will be a part of multiple world premiere performances in April, including a piece commissioned specifically for our YSPE. Above all, my favorite experience in EYSO came last year when my friend and I were able to compose a piece that was performed by our Philharmonia Percussion Ensemble. The EYSO staff, especially our percussion director, was incredibly supportive throughout our journey of writing, editing, rehearsing, and finally performing our very own composition at a concert.
It has come time for EYSO’s annual NOTES fundraiser! In order to continue providing experiences like mine to young musicians, EYSO needs support. This campaign is important to the orchestra, as it assists in keeping the tuition affordable for all students. Our tuition covers one third of the cost of each student, and the other two thirds comes from generous donations and sponsorships from people just like you. Not only will your kind donation help offset the cost of tuition, but it will allow for our conductors to continue to afford the amazing music selections we love to play, and support the EYSO outreach programs that bring the wonderful experience to kids of all backgrounds.
Thank you so much for your time, and please consider donating in support of our orchestra!