Free Metropolitan Youth Orchestra Concert, May 21

Hilbert Circle Theatre. AroundIndy.com staff photo, (c) 2013, all rights reserved.

By Lisa Sirkin Vielee
On behalf of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra
http://indianapolissymphony.org/

Families, community members and music lovers of all ages are invited to the free Metropolitan Youth Orchestra Jazz and Jam Concert on Wednesday, May 21, 2014 at 7 pm at Hilbert Circle Theatre, 45 Monument Circle, Indianapolis, Indiana. For this performance, the MYO will partner with local jazz artists to perform a selection of jazz standards and popular music.

In between musical selections, the audience will learn more about the MYO program from a graduating student, a performer’s parent, a current student and MYO Founder and Director, Betty Perry.

The Metropolitan Youth Orchestra is a youth and family development program of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra that is designed to use the life skills learned in music instruction to engage youth in activities that discourage at-risk behaviors and keep them committed to staying in school – and it is successful. While only 68 percent of eligible students graduated last year from Indianapolis Public Schools, 100 percent of MYO participants have graduated from high school in the program’s 19-year existence.

The program, which was founded in 1995, serves 175 students each year in grades K-12 from 49 different Indianapolis schools. Students who are in the MYO participate in a weekly ensemble rehearsal and receive a private lesson for 28 weeks per year. While the cost of these lessons is about $1,700 per student per year, because of individual donations and additional funding, MYO only charges $180 per student based on ability to pay. It waives these tuition fees for nearly half of participants.

To raise funds to support the orchestra, the MYO is hosting a fundraising dinner prior to the concert. To attend the dinner, RSVP by May 16 to dmciver@indianapolissymphony.org. Cost is $125 per person. For more information, visit http://indianapolissymphony.org/, or call 317-639-4300.

Editor’s Acknowledgement: Gracie Communications.