Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies

SEE SCHEDULE O.IN THE CONVICTION THAT MUSIC NOURISHES THE MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND ENRICHES THE COMMUNITY, THE GREATER TWIN CITIES YOUTH SYMPHONIES PROVIDES A RIGOROUS AND INSPIRING ORCHESTRAL EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS.

SEE SCHEDULE O.THE GREATER TWIN CITIES YOUTH SYMPHONIES (GTCYS) OPENS DOORS TO MUSIC LEARNING AND PROVIDES A PATHWAY FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES, ABILITIES, AND BACKGROUNDS. USING MUSIC AS A VEHICLE, OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS BREAK DOWN BARRIERS, INSPIRING STUDENTS TO EXCEL MUSICALLY AND BUILD LIFELONG SKILLS WHICH SERVE THEM IN SCHOOL AND BEYOND. AS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S LEADING YOUTH ORCHESTRA PROGRAMS, GTCYS SERVES MORE THAN 1,000 STUDENTS AGES 7-18 THROUGH YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS WHICH INCLUDE 10 SCHOOL-YEAR ORCHESTRAS, SUMMER CAMPS, AND OUR HARMONY STRINGS INSTRUCTION PROGRAM AND LAUNCH LESSONS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED YOUTH. RATHER THAN CAPPING ENROLLMENT, GTCYS CONTINUALLY EXPANDS ITS PROGRAMMING TO MEET GROWING INTEREST AND COMMUNITY NEEDS. STARTED IN 2016, GTCYS' EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES CREATED STRONG RESULTS AND REMAIN A TOP PRIORITY. TO INCREASE ACCESS AND ADDRESS SOCIO-ECONOMIC BARRIERS, GTCYS PROVIDES MORE THAN $180,000 IN NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TUITION AND PRIVATE LESSONS. GTCYS BELIEVES IN BRINGING MUSIC TO DIVERSE AUDIENCES, AND OUR STUDENTS SHARE THEIR TALENTS THROUGH 25 FREE PERFORMANCES AT TWIN CITIES SCHOOLS, HOMELESS SHELTERS, AND SENIOR CARE CENTERS, PLUS FORMAL TICKETED CONCERTS AT PROFESSIONAL VENUES LIKE ORCHESTRA HALL. IN TOTAL, GTCYS REACHES MORE THAN 17,000 CHILDREN AND ADULTS THROUGH OUR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND PERFORMANCES EACH YEAR. GTCYS CELEBRATED ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON IN 2021-22 AND HAS SERVED 16,000 STUDENTS IN ITS HISTORY. ALUMNI INCLUDE LEADERS IN EVERY FIELD WHO USE THE LIFELONG VALUES OF TEAMWORK, DISCIPLINE, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DEVELOPED DURING THEIR GTCYS EXPERIENCE.GTCYS SUCCESSFULLY WEATHERED THE WORST OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN 2020-21 BY CREATING A TEMPORARY STRUCTURE FOR STUDENTS TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATING IN ORCHESTRA AND HARMONY IN-PERSON OR ONLINE. THAT HARD WORK SET THE STAGE FOR BOLD PROGRAMMING LAST YEAR OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON WHEN MANY ORGANIZATIONS WERE JUST STARTING TO RETURN. WE RESUMED MOST OF OUR NORMAL PROGRAM ACTIVITIES FULL SIZE ORCHESTRAS AND HARMONY CLASSES, FALL AND WINTER RETREATS, SECTIONALS WITH PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS, CONCERTS WITH IN-PERSON AUDIENCES, AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING WITH GREAT APPRECIATION FROM FAMILIES. HARMONY HAD RECORD ENROLLMENT WITH 65 STUDENTS, MORE NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED, WE COMPLETED A SPECIAL $250,000 ANNIVERSARY CAMPAIGN IN 10 MONTHS, AND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS BROUGHT TOGETHER HUNDREDS OF CONSTITUENTS TO HONOR GTCYS' PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. IN ADDITION, OUR SYMPHONY TOUR TO SOUTHERN ITALY (ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR 2020) WAS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR 95 STUDENTS AND ALUMNI TO TRAVEL ABROAD AND PERFORM AT INCREDIBLE VENUES IN JUNE 2022, EVEN AMIDST THE ONGOING PANDEMIC. THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, GTCYS HAS DEMONSTRATED WHAT WE DO BEST: PRIORITIZE OUR STUDENTS AND BRING THEM TOGETHER TO CREATE MEANINGFUL, HIGH-QUALITY MUSIC OPPORTUNITIES.