MINNESOTA YOUTH SYMPHONIES
790 CLEVELAND AVENUE SOUTH NO 203, ST PAUL, MN 551161958 www.mnyouthsymphonies.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: MINNESOTA YOUTH SYMPHONIES (MYS) ENRICHES AND INSPIRES TALENTED K-12 ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS BY PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL, COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES, AND THRILLS AUDIENCES WITH OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES OF ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE. MYS CULTIVATES LEADERSHIP IN STUDENTS BY FOSTERING COMMITMENT AND ROLE MODELING, DEMANDING EXCELLENCE, AND ENCOURAGING ACHIEVEMENT. MYS BROADENS CULTURAL HORIZONS, DEVELOPS A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, AND CULTIVATES A LIFE-LONG LOVE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC IN AUDIENCES COMPRISED OF STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND CONCERTGOERS.

YOUTH ORCHESTRA EDUCATION PROGRAMS DEDICATED TO CONSERVATORY-LEVEL ORCHESTRAL TRAINING.

MINNESOTA YOUTH SYMPHONIES (MYS) HAS SERVED YOUNG ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS SINCE 1972. THE HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND ARTISTIC STANDARDS AT MYS ARE A HALLMARK OF OUR ORGANIZATION. THERE ARE THREE FULL ORCHESTRAS; PHILHARMONIC (ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE); REPERTORY (ADVANCED LEVEL) AND SYMPHONY (COLLEGIATE LEVEL). MYS ALSO HAS A STRING ORCHESTRA (INTERMEDIATE LEVEL). FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2018, MYS BEGAN A NEW ORCHESTRA COUNTERPART TO THE STRING ORCHESTRA FOR WINDS, BRASS AND PERCUSSION STUDENTS CALLED WIND ORCHESTRA. THIS BEGINNING-INTERMEDIATE LEVEL ORCHESTRA FOCUSES ON TRAINING THESE STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN A FULL ORCHESTRA EXPERIENCE BY WORKING ON TECHNIQUE AND EAR-TRAINING THROUGH ORCHESTRAL REPERTOIRE. ALL STUDENTS MUST AUDITION EACH SEASON FOR PLACEMENT INTO ONE OF THE ORCHESTRA LEVELS. MYS HAS A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO ENSURE THAT ALL QUALIFYING STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE. REHEARSALS ARE HELD AT HIGHLAND PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL IN ST. PAUL, OUR REHEARSAL HOME FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS. THREE CONCERTS ARE HELD EACH YEAR IN PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE VENUES, PLAYING TO NEAR-SELLOUT CROWDS. THE ARTISTIC STAFF IS COMPRISED OF CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTORS, THREE PRINCIPAL CONDUCTORS, THREE REGULAR COACHES, EDUCATION INSTRUCTOR, A STRING ORCHESTRA ASSISTANT, STRING STUDIO INSTRUCTOR, AND FOUR VOLUNTEER LIBRARIANS.OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE MYS EXPERIENCE INCLUDE MUSIC EDUCATION CLASSES SUCH AS: HARMONY & COMPOSITION, SOLFEGE, MUSIC THEORY AND FREQUENT CHORAL OPPORTUNITIES. THE ANNUAL SYMPHONY SOLO COMPETITION HAS GAINED WIDE ACCLAIM AND HAS FEATURED SOLOISTS ON THE VIOLIN, CELLO, TUBA, MARIMBA, CLARINET, HARP, BASSOON, FLUTE, XYLOPHONE AND VIOLA.COMMUNITY OUTREACH:IN 1998 MYS BEGAN FREE VIOLIN AND VIOLA CLASSES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY FOR GRADES 3 AND 4 AT ANDERSEN UNITED COMMUNITY SCHOOL IN MINNEAPOLIS. IN THE 2012-13 SEASON THE PROGRAM MOVED TO FOLWELL PERFORMING ARTS MAGNET IN MINNEAPOLIS. CURRENTLY, THE PROGRAM SERVES ABOUT 30-40 STUDENTS IN GRADES 4-8 ANNUALLY. THESE STUDENTS PERFORM AT THE MYS WINTER CONCERT IN FEBRUARY EVERY YEAR, AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE PROVIDED WITH FREE TICKETS TO THE CONCERT. MYS ALSO SPONSORS A MUSIC & MELODY MAKERS PROGRAM THAT BROUGHT YOUNG CHILDREN IN TO TRY OUT THE ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENTS AND OBSERVE AN ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL. THIS PROGRAM IS OFFERED TWICE EACH SEASON AND IS FREE TO THE PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE MOSTLY FROM EARLY CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY EDUCATION PROGRAMS. WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM FOR YOUTH GROUPS TO RECEIVE REDUCED OR FREE TICKETS TO OUR CONCERTS. TOTAL CONCERT ATTENDANCE FOR THE 2019-2020 SEASON WAS APPROXIMATELY 5000.MYS STUDENTS PERFORM IN THE COMMUNITY IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. MYS PRESENTED A COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE FEATURING ALL FOUR ORCHESTRAS CALLED THE PLAY-A-THON. THIS CONCERT AT ROSEDALE CENTER WAS THE CULMINATION OF A STUDENT FUNDRAISING EFFORT WHICH RAISED $28,000.ARTISTIC STAFF:CLAUDETTE AND MANNY LAUREANO, CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTORS FROM 1988 TO 2020, LED THE STUDENTS OF MYS TO AMAZING ARTISTIC HEIGHTS, EARNING MYS THE REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE FINEST YOUTH ORCHESTRAS IN THE COUNTRY. THE 2019-2020 WAS THE LAUREANO'S LAST SEASON WITH MYS, AND IN MAY, MYS WELCOMED LONG-TIME CONDUCTORS JIM BARTSCH AND PATRICIA KELLY AS INTERIM CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTORS AS WELL AS BILL EDDINS AND RUTH LIN AS SYMPHONY AND REPERTORY CONDUCTORS, RESPECTIVELY. MYS HAS A DEVOTED ARTISTIC STAFF OF CONDUCTORS AND COACHES WHO HAVE MORE THAN EIGHTY COMBINED YEARS OF SERVICE WITH MYS. REGULAR SECTIONALS WITH MEMBERS OF THE MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA GIVE OUR STUDENTS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY AND PERSPECTIVE. A LOYAL AND TALENTED ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AND A DEVOTED GROUP OF BOARD MEMBERS ROUND OUT A PROGRAM THAT IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG MUSICIANS. EACH SEASON MORE THAN 125 PARENT VOLUNTEERS ASSIST WITH REHEARSALS, REHEARSAL RETREATS, CONCERTS AND SPECIAL ACTIVITIES. A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR COORDINATES VOLUNTEERS.STATISTICAL DATA: - 327 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN FOUR ORCHESTRAS DURING THE SEASON. IN THE 2019-2020 SEASON 53% OF MYS STUDENTS WERE FROM SAINT PAUL OR THE EASTERN TWIN CITIES SUBURBS, 33% WERE FROM MINNEAPOLIS OR THE WESTERN SUBURBS. ABOUT 12% CAME FROM GREATER MINNESOTA, AND 2% FROM WESTERN WISCONSIN. SOME TRAVELED FROM AS FAR AS ROCHESTER TO PARTICIPATE. THE 2019-2020 STUDENT POPULATION IS 62% CAUCASIAN, 27% ASIAN, 4% AFRICAN AMERICAN, 5% HISPANIC AND 1% OTHER.- 7% OF MYS STUDENTS RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS. - 98% OF THE STUDENTS STUDY PRIVATELY AND 80% PLAY IN THEIR SCHOOL BAND OR ORCHESTRA PROGRAM. - 97% OF GRADUATING SENIORS WERE ACCEPTED INTO A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. - 40 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN OUR STRING STUDIO PROGRAM AT FOLWELL PERFORMING ARTS MAGNET IN MINNEAPOLIS. - OVER 50% OF MYS STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE FREE MYS MUSIC EDUCATION CLASSES, WITH TOPICS INCLUDING SOLFEGE, EAR TRAINING, THEORY EXAM PREPARATION. MYS IS GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHO PROVIDE FISCAL OVERSIGHT AND ESTABLISH POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR THE OPERATION OF THE ORGANIZATION. THE MYS OFFICE STAFF IS COMPRISED OF FIVE PERSONNEL: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, OPERATIONS MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR AND A PART-TIME LIBRARIAN. THE MYS OFFICES ARE LOCATED IN HIGHLAND PARK, MN.

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