Young Musicians Choral Orchestra
For General Operating Support
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Amount$600,000
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Program
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Date Awarded11/17/2014
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Term24 Months
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Type of SupportGeneral Support/Organization
Strategies
Overview
Young Musicians Choral Orchestra (YMCO) is a nationally recognized youth program for low-income students of color, with a stellar academic achievement record and musical training at its core. Through an educational foundation in orchestra, jazz, and choral, students from the program matriculate into and excel at the premiere conservatories and universities in the United States. YMCO has taken a bold path during the past two years, becoming a nonprofit organization independent from UC Berkeley, where the program was incubated. Through the transition, YMCO has maintained its zero-tuition policy, the excellence of its faculty, and the artistic and academic distinction of its seventy students. Continued support for YMCO would provide for deepened administrative capacity, and improve on already high standards of academic excellence and implementation of key components of a new strategic planning effort.
About the Grantee
Address
2020 Milvia Street, Suite 420, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States
Grants to this Grantee
for general operating support
Young Musicians Choral Orchestra provides musical training, academic reinforcement, and personal development opportunities for low-income, underserved students from four Bay Area counties. Each year, the no-cost program provides over 60 students with education, training, and performance opportunities in orchestra, choir, jazz, dance and movement, and music production. Support of the Young Musicians Choral Orchestra aligns with the Performing Arts Program’s Youth strategy, through the Program Delivery substrategy.
for general operating support
The Young Musicians Choral Orchestra (YMCO) is a new non-profit arts institution. The organization was founded in 1968 as the Young Musicians Program, a summer outreach initiative of UC Berkeley. The organization separated from UC Berkeley earlier this summer, becoming an independent 501(c)3. YMCO provides a rigorous combination of musical training, academic reinforcement, and personal development for 70 low-income students ages 9-18 in Berkeley and Oakland, predominantly young people of color. All of YMCO's service are provided free of charge. Every student sings in the chorus and performs in the orchestra, studying both classical and jazz music. This is supplemented by weekly private lessons, academic tutoring, and peer mentoring. There is a very high success rate--nearly all students are accepted into 4-year colleges, universities and music conservatories--and the program has received national recognition for it impact, including performing at the White House.
