For over 20 years, the Green Mountain Youth Symphony (GMYS) has worked to create a community of young musicians from Northern and Central Vermont. The last couple of years have been challenging, and we need your help to continue our programs in the years to come.
In Spring 2022, GMYS opened its doors to young musicians again after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We could not have made it through the pandemic period without the support of our community, and we were excited to welcome back 41 students in 2022. Since then, GMYS has increased the size of its broad, diversified programming to include Chamber Music for the first time this semester, and actively sought grant support to continue to sustain operations. However, persistently low student enrollment in GMYS remains a challenge. This fall we have 47 young musicians enrolled in our three orchestras, and are starting three chamber music groups. While this is an improvement (and we can’t wait to work with each of them!) it is not enough students to financially sustain GMYS operations.
Without opportunities to play in bands and orchestras at or outside of school during the pandemic, many young musicians stopped playing or taking lessons. We understand that, like GMYS, school programs are not seeing as many students participating as they had prior to the pandemic. At the same time, Vermont schools continue to see a sustained drop in enrollment, a trend that is not expected to change any time soon. With current statewide projected enrollment figures, pandemic-induced declines in music participation, and cuts to elementary school music programs in the region, we do not anticipate that GMYS will be able to maintain financial sustainability on tuition alone.
As parents or former GMYS students, we know firsthand how important this community is to young musicians and their families. GMYS staff and conductors challenge students to believe in themselves, take pride in their work and abilities, and develop self-confidence. GMYS is also a space where students are able to come together, have fun, and develop bonds of connection and friendship that last long after students graduate from GMYS. This is a special community, and we are so proud to be a part of it.
We continue to develop strategies that will secure the financial sustainability of GMYS, so that we can continue to offer excellent musical education to young people in Central and Northern Vermont. To do this, we are asking for your support. Right now, GMYS is facing a $30,000 budget deficit to provide services to students through the 2023-2024 program year. To help close this gap, Bob Blais and Sean Brekke have taken a 50% reduction in pay, which was approved by the Board at the August 14, 2023 board meeting. This was a very hard decision that comes even as Bob and Sean continue to work to provide more musical opportunities for young musicians in Central Vermont.
We are asking for your support to help us now. We have created a GoFundMe campaign and have established a goal of $15,000, which will keep GMYS solvent through Spring 2024 and allow us to restore Bob and Sean’s full salaries. Here is the link to the GoFundMe GMYS campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/f/gmys-fall23?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer.
Moving forward, GMYS anticipates shifting towards an annual donation model in order to support operations and allow us to continue providing all of our music education opportunities. If you would like to become a sustaining partner of the organization, you can sign up to make a recurring donation to our community on a monthly basis: GMYS-VT.org.
If you can donate to the campaign we would greatly appreciate it. We know this is a difficult time for many families in Vermont, after the flooding and natural disasters of this summer. It has been overwhelming and inspiring to see how our communities have come together to support each other over the past few months. We recognize that some families may not be in the position to support GMYS financially at this time, so we ask that everyone forward the GoFundMe link to your friends, family, and anyone else that may be willing to help.
We are extremely fortunate and grateful that parents and friends of the Green Mountain Youth Symphony have always been willing to help when asked. We do understand that this is a different type of help we are asking for, and are appreciative of any assistance you may have to offer.