Help Sophia Support EYSO!

Learning to play music is a very rewarding experience. It opens a new world of art that one can learn about and enjoy, and promotes valued skills such as focus, precision, and teamwork. Many young musicians play in school bands and orchestras, which is a great way to learn; however, being a part of a symphony orchestra— a combined band and orchestra that tends to play more advanced and classical music— is a very different experience, and is one that interested and involved musicians ought to explore.

The Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras is an organization that offers students spots in various levels of symphony orchestras. This gives them more music to practice and play, new friends with similar interests, and a different musical experience.

As a clarinet player, I usually play with other wind, brass, and percussion instruments in my school band. This has been a great experience for me, as I’ve learned to play with a small group of students (only a couple on each instrument), and most of the music we play is more modern. In addition to these, I’ve also learned many important skills needed to be an accomplished clarinet player in band classes, since they’re in a school setting. EYSO is a very different experience, as the orchestra is much bigger, has string instruments, and is more professional. Being a member of EYSO for the past three years, I’ve learned how to play music and stay in-time with very different instruments and multiple harmonies at once. Additionally, since EYSO is not in a school setting, more time is devoted to playing and perfecting the music. This gives the student a different set of skills that are also very beneficial to their advancement as a musician.

Being a member of EYSO has really helped me to grow as a musician. From practicing an extra repertoire of music each season, playing with the focus of excellence rather than education, and blending my playing with a more diverse group of instruments and sounds, EYSO has been a major aspect of my musical journey. Without it, I most definitely would not be as good of a musician as I am today.

As you can read more in-depth below, the tuition to be a part of EYSO covers only a third of what the EYSO pays to give this quality experience to students. The rest of their income comes from fundraisers like this one.

I really care about keeping EYSO alive to aid more students in their musical journeys, so I’m asking if you could please spread the word about EYSO, and perhaps donate some money to this great cause. EYSO, future generations of young musicians, and I would greatly appreciate any donation you can make.

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Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestras’ Philharmonia is collecting donations as part of our annual fundraising campaign: NOTES 2024. This campaign runs from January 21 to March 24.

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.

Now in our 48th season, EYSO serves nearly 400 students in 4th grade through college from 70 different communities via five orchestras, as well as percussion ensembles, Brass Choir and Flute Choir, and a thriving Chamber Music Institute. The mission of EYSO is to create a community of young musicians, enriching their lives and the lives of their families, schools, communities, and beyond, through the study and performance of excellent music. By supporting the NOTES campaign, you are impacting the lives of so many!

Donations of any size can make a real impact! Thank you so much for supporting the students of EYSO.