About the MSYO
Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra Overall Structure & MSYO Committee Structure
2007/2008 Season
General Description of the MSYO Structure
The Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra Concert and Symphony Orchestras will be served by the Board of Directors, the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Association Staff, the Leadership Team, and by the Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra Committee. The Leadership Team consists of the Symphony and Concert Orchestra conductors, managers, the President/CEO and General Manager of the MSOA, and the MSYO Committee Chairperson, who also chairs the Leadership Team.
The MSYO Committee
The MSYO committee shall consist of 6-9 members including the overall chairperson, chairpersons of functioning sub-committees, and other persons involved with or deeply committed to music appreciation, education and/or performance for youth in the community. The chair of the Board of Directors, members of the MSOA staff, the MSYO conductors and their general managers will be considered ex-officio members to this committee, welcome to be present at any meeting of the larger committee or its sub-committees according to interest or need. The chairperson of the MSYO Committee shall be the primary liaison to the Board of Directors, the MSYO staff, and the conductors and general managers of the Concert and Symphony Orchestras regarding the planning and progress of the committee. The MSYO Committees’ primary function will be to live into and enhance the mission of the MSOA for the MSYO. That mission states: ”In the conviction that music nourishes the mind, body and spirit of the individual and enriches the community, the MSYO provides a rigorous and inspiring orchestral experience for young musicians.”
The Modesto Symphony Youth Orchestra Committee structure is very new, as this will only be the third season the youth orchestra is under the umbrella of the full MSOA, and the second year the MSYO Committee is meeting. A sense of overall mission/vision, as well as which specific sub-committees might prove most helpful will continue to evolve over the next few years. We remain committed to a clear basic structure with great openness to edit and reshape pieces as necessary.
Sub-committees of the MSYO Committee will be formed and function as needed. Some possibilities may include:
- Communications - Fundraising/Events - Tour Needs
- Social Events - Ensemble Needs
All sub-committees are encouraged to be innovative, and intentional about striving to create a culture that fosters a sense of partnership, collaboration, and community among staff, parents and participating musicians, as well as out into the community at large.
Skills necessary for MSYO Committee Members/Sub-committee members:
- A commitment to nurturing music appreciation, education & performance in youth and in the community at large.
- Good time management skills and the ability to multi-task and follow through
- Experience working with volunteers, particularly in a leadership role
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to work in a team environment collaboratively as well as independently
- A working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications/general computer skills helpful
- Skills and/or experience related to particular needs of the MSYO helpful
Initial areas for the MSYO Committee to consider:
Communications
There will be a need to work on all aspects of communication regarding the MSYO. This will include such things as executing creative ways to communicate with the community regarding auditions and other MSYO news/special interest stories; executing creative ways to communicate with parents and musicians regarding upcoming opportunities for education, performance, socializing, helping to raise funds; executing creative ways to solicit valuable evaluation, feedback, and fresh ideas from parents and participating musicians and even perhaps the community regarding the MSYO; creating and maintaining a regular MSYO newsletter as a helpful tool for dialogue and communication. This area of work interfaces most closely with the General Manager and the marketing staff of the MSOA.
Fundraising/Events
There will be a need for the MSYO Committee to work on various aspects of fund raising regarding the MSYO. We will need to strive, when at all possible with fundraisers and other events, to develop them around a sense of the mission of the MSOA. The goal would be that rather than simply “asking for money”, students and other participants in the fundraiser/event would have a sense of being connected into a rich experience of advocacy for, and education about, music. This area of work will most directly interface with the development staff of the MSOA.
Ensemble Needs
The MSYO Committee will need to be active in supporting the conductors and managers in all aspects of logistical issues surrounding concerts, rehearsals, chamber programs or other events. Such issues might include: transporting chairs, music stands or other equipment; working with refreshments; ushers, or chaperone needs. This area of work will most closely interface with the General Manager of the MSOA and the orchestra managers of the Concert & Symphony Orchestras of the MSYO.
Social Events
The MSYO Committee will need to help nurture relationships between the Concert and Symphony MYSO musicians, their families, and the community at large. The MSYO Committee will need to be innovative with ideas, while also being realistic about the time commitments already placed on youth and their families. We will need to think of activities that are directly related to musical performance, education or overall music appreciation. Activities such as: planning for the youth and/or their families to attend a musical event together; a party/mixer with a musical theme; opportunities to interact with the MSO. An important question to keep foremost will be: How do these activities engage and celebrate the passion for music that these youth have individually and as a group, as opposed to being activities they could participate in with any other organization? This area of work will most directly interface with the MSYO conductors and orchestsra managers.
Tour Needs
The MSYO Committee will need to be active in working on various aspects related to tours taken by both the Concert and Symphony divisions of the MSYO. These might include: Collecting general and health information or individual permission forms from students; helping with the acquisition of passports when necessary; helping to secure chaperones; helping with financial information or needs; helping to secure logistical details. This area of work will most directly interface with the General Manager of the MSOA and the conductors and orchestra managers of the Concert and Symphony Orchestras of the MSYO.