Metropolitan Youth Symphony

Mission

Metropolitan Youth Symphony (MYS) educates, develops, and promotes young musicians. A leader in music education for 50 years, MYS is one of the nation’s largest youth orchestra programs. We reach 400+ students from across the Portland metro area at all musical levels in 15 orchestra, wind, and jazz ensembles from as many as eight Oregon and SW Washington counties. Each year we serve approximately 7,500 students and audience members.  

Through our Music Access Program, we reach approximately 5,000 students who do not have regular access to music education. As the cost of lessons and instruments is the main barrier for students to learn music, MYS works to break these barriers so that all children can experience music’s benefits and transformative power. We provide free Beginning Strings instruction and instruments, 15 concerts at Title 1 schools, tuition assistance and instrument loans to play in an MYS ensemble, and free one-on-one lessons and coaching for Beginning Strings graduates.

For the last 50 years, MYS has broken barriers to music education so that thousands of youth can gain the academic, social, and emotional benefits of music. Music is deeply impactful to a child's academic and social development. 

However, many metro area schools do not offer instrumental music programming, and the cost of private lessons and instruments is prohibitive for many families. Through MYS, metro area youth can access music and gain important skills that help them succeed in school and in life.  

The first 50 donors who give $100 or more will receive a free ticket to see esperanza spalding live in concert with MYS on June 17th as a gift! Tickets are valued at $43. 

Bottom Line for Portland

For the last 50 years, MYS has broken barriers to music education so that thousands of youth can gain the academic, social, and emotional benefits of music. Music is essential to a child's academic and social development. 

However, many Portland area schools do not offer music or band programming, and the cost of private lessons is prohibitive for many families. Through MYS, metro area youth can access music and gain important skills that help them succeed in school and in life. 

Quote

MYS works to prioritize community service, and our in-school concerts and Beginning Strings pathway for graduates to play in an MYS ensemble are unique. 

“There are so many benefits to kids learning music...  Not only to learn to play a musical instrument but all the other positive benefits associated with it….But we also want them to explore opportunities.  Maybe music is what they want to do in life, but they never had the opportunity.  We want those opportunities for them.

This has been a wonderful partnership with a team whose sole purpose is to make a difference in this community of underserved families and their children.  Because that’s really what counts.  And investing in the future and the future is the children of these families.”  

Nabil Zaghloul, Director

Bienestar de la Familia Social Service Program

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

MYS serves all metro area youth and is committed to including BIPOC communities, under-resourced communities, and families living on low incomes in our programming. Through our Beginning Strings site partners, Bienestar de la Familia Community Center, Faubion and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. schools in NE Portland, and Lincoln Street Elementary in Hillsboro, MYS provides music study for 75 students. These long-standing and trusted relationships also allow us to maintain feedback loops to ensure programming is culturally sensitive and responsive to participant families’ input. 

Costa Rican conductor and violinist/violist Dr. Raúl Gómez-Rojas is our Music Director – one of MYS’ top leadership positions. Under Dr. Gómez’s direction, MYS has grown to include more diverse youth, teaching faculty, community partners, and repertoire. His experiences as a Latin American, native Spanish speaker, and immigrant influence his programmatic and artistic direction, increasing MYS’ ability to reach and understand our region’s diverse youth.

Incentives

The first 50 donors who give $100 for our 50th Anniversary will receive a free ticket to see esperanza spalding live in concert with MYS on June 17th as a gift! Tickets are valued at $43.

Partner(s)

Revolution Hall is sharing MYS' Give!Guide Campaign on social media. www.revolutionhall.com 

Fear No Music will collaborate on MYS Give!Guide promotions for both organizations. www.fearnomusic.org