The Modesto Symphony Orchestra was recently awarded a $10,000 Community Possible “Play” grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation to support the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO) and its students. U.S. Bank makes “Play” possible by investing in community programs that supports ways for children and adults to play and create.
“We are honored to receive the U.S. Bank Community Possible ‘Play’ grant,” said Caroline Nickel, President and CEO of the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. “The Modesto Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra pride ourselves on music education and enriching our community through music. With support from the U.S. Bank Foundation, we look forward to strengthening the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra and continuing to challenge and inspire our students.”
Through the U.S. Bank Community Possible “Play” grant, the MSYO will boost its recruitment efforts to reach more students and fully represent the community’s diversity. The “Play” grant will help the MSYO offer more students an equitable playing field by providing more scholarships, specialized coaching, develop students’ musicianship and their teamwork, discipline, and problem-solving skills.
“We believe communities are stronger when they are connected through the arts and cultural opportunities,” said Brian Hogan, U.S. Bank North and Central California market leader. “We’re proud to support the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra’s efforts to provide youth musicians of all backgrounds the opportunity to share their talents and enrich the community through music.”
Founded in 1976, the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO) serves over 100 young musicians and their families from more than 40 public and private schools in the Central Valley. Led by a deeply engaged leadership team, the youth orchestra attracts a diverse group of outstanding musicians. Members are presented with the opportunity to share their gift of music in an inspiring and challenging orchestral setting alongside their peers from all social, economic, cultural, and geographical backgrounds. As a program within the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association, members also have the invaluable experience of interacting with professional musicians, conductors, and visiting guest artists through workshops, side-by-side performances, and clinics.
The MSYO serves students of varying skill levels and is made up of two full-orchestra (strings, winds, and percussion) groups: MSYO Concert Orchestra (Grades 5-9) and the MSYO Symphony Orchestra (Grades 9-12). Both ensembles perform a three-concert series at the Gallo Center for the Arts throughout the season. In addition to the Gallo concerts, both orchestras also perform in and around the region. The MSYO Concert Orchestra has toured San Francisco, Sacramento, and the Central Valley. Each spring the Concert Orchestra tours through local elementary schools, providing free performances and advocating for the importance of music education. The MSYO Symphony Orchestra has also performed throughout the United States and world, including performances in England, France, Japan, Eastern Europe, Canada, and China. The Symphony Orchestra has previously partnered with the Napa Valley Youth Symphony to perform in the 2012 Mahler Festival in Vienna and for the 2014 New York Phil Young Composers workshop, where they performed at Carnegie Hall and in Central Park.
U.S. Bancorp, with approximately 70,000 employees and $587 billion in assets as of March 31, 2022, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association. The Minneapolis-based company serves millions of customers locally, nationally and globally through a diversified mix of businesses.
