Donate to NOTES 2020 Today!

EYSO has been my home for 9 years. Yes. 9 years. The “EYSO Grandma” is what I go by and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I have a family here and a passion for music that was cultivated in my wonderful experience with this organization. My time at EYSO has been oh so sweet and it makes me incredibly sad to think about this being my last season in the place that I’ve called home for so long. With that being said, I’d love to share a part of my experience with an organization that has been alongside me in this journey called life.

I graduated high school in 2018, completely terrified of the idea of college and needing to have concrete plans for my future. Furthermore, I was not excited about being one of the oldest participants in EYSO because most of the students there were in high school and I was the oldie still hanging around. However, the personal and musical growth that occurred in the last two years of my life in EYSO was necessary for where I am today and where I hope to be. If you told me five years ago that I'd be in one of the top string quartet ensembles and in an amazing orchestra, I’d laugh ridiculously at you and call you crazy. But here I am, thanks to some of the most inspirational teachers I’ve had the privilege of working under.

Most people see an extrovert in me when we meet. I wish that was true, but I am most definitely an introvert at heart. Because of this, my shy nature really took a toll on my musical abilities and hindered my violin playing for so long. I was never a risk taker and structure was my best friend in music. Playing something in various styles and characters multiple times was so abstract to me and I hated the idea of it because it made me extremely uncomfortable. Why couldn’t I just play it this ONE way? Why do we have to experiment? EYSO took this idea of music that I had, wrecked it, and helped rebuild my view. I had put music in a black and white box with limitations and restrictions for such a long time. Music isn’t supposed to be like that. It’s colorful and experimental. It has so much power and potential to change you and the people you encounter just by playing. It’s more than black notes on a white piece of paper. Music cultivates a new way to view obstacles, various situations, and life itself. It’s intimately personal, but also allows for beautiful bonds of connection to be formed with other people. EYSO taught me in its raw state what music is really about and all that can arise from choosing to take a risk on something that scares you.

EYSO is an organization that cares beyond a students musical achievement. My past 9 years with them has been one of the most enriching experiences I’ve ever had musically and personally. This is a wonderful place filled with life changing experiences, laughs, and memories you’ll hold onto for a lifetime. So would you do me the honor of helping this organization continue to impact hundreds of lives in ways similar to mine? Any donation, small or large, makes a difference and does not go unnoticed. Thanks so much for your support!

P.S. Come hear Youth Symphony perform! Click here for the season schedule or click here to view video clips from the November 2019 concert.