02 March 2010

In addition to the wonderful performances by each ensemble that take place in concert halls throughout southeastern Wisconsin—Uihlein Hall of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, Shattuck Auditorium of Carroll University, Kuttemperoor Auditorium at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center of the Arts, and more—MYSO performs a number of free concerts for school children from the MYAC neighborhood and beyond.   

MYSO, comprised of more than 850 of the metro area’s finest young musicians, has a long-standing, deep commitment to community outreach.  As part of our dual missions of education and performance, MYSO’s Community Engagement program takes MYSO ensembles into schools (and sometimes nursing homes and community centers) throughout the entire metro area.  These concerts are an important part of the MYSO program, and we are grateful to the students and parents for their cooperation in making them happen!  MYSO ensembles like String Orchestras, Sinfonia, Flute Chorale, Chamber Flute Ensemble, Philharmonia, Calypso, Jazz Studies, and Chamber Orchestra are asked to join us during the day for two concerts.  This concert day usually takes place in the week before a concert (Winter or Spring).  They provide a wonderful opportunity for the MYSO ensemble to perform in front of an appreciative audience before “hitting” the stage later that week for the big performance!  

Neighborhood Concert Series: MYSO performs FREE concerts at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center for area schools—particularly Milwaukee Public Schools in our neighborhood.
Community Concerts: MYSO travels outside of its MYAC neighborhood to perform FREE concerts In area schools and community centers.
 
For some of the young people we reach, hearing the MYSO concerts is their only exposure to “serious” music.  For others, MYSO’s concerts are a welcome addition to the already strong musical education they receive.  One of the most positive and unique corollary benefits to this program is for students to have opportunities to see—and hear—their peers as role models, with additional opportunities for peer mentoring.  
 
Area musicians and critics measure MYSO’s artistic quality on a regular basis—and give the organization very high marks.  Our goal is to take this quality into the schools, benefiting both performers and audiences—and to locate and recruit new students into the MYSO program.  Over the years, we have seen many dramatic and measurable indications of the enduring effects of our outreach activity.  These include:

• calls from music directors at other schools asking to be included as performance sites in our outreach program.
• repeat invitations from area schools and centers
• phone calls requesting audition appointments for students who were at outreach performances
• testimonials to the effect that a MYSO outreach performance has had on a young person
• requests from neighborhood groups for increasing numbers of complimentary tickets to attend our regular concerts
• phone calls/letters from teachers and administrators expressing their gratitude
• unusually well-behaved audiences
• letters of thanks from students in the audiences

 

I just have to tell you how much we enjoyed the concert this morning.  My students were so impressed. "How did they get that sound?"  (You see, our band doesn't sound quite like that - yet!)  Now we are so motivated.  Perhaps their musical goals now seem more attainable to them.

—Cass Street School