05/11/12 The Plymouth Community Youth Orchestra (PCYO) will be the featured entertainment opening day of the Plymouth Farmers’ Market this Saturday. The following week they will be presenting their annual spring concert at Lincoln Jr. High on May 20 at 5 p.m. The young musicians are looking forward to the new experience as is director Gabriele ‘Gabi’ Hill.
PCYO is an extra-curricular school program open to any students interested in playing a string orchestral instrument. The orchestra has provided valuable musical instruction to many students since its founding less than ten years ago. In 2010, PCYO enrolled over 80 students, ranging from 1st through 12th grades.
Hill and her team of professional instructors, the PCYO is committed to providing the highest quality musical experience. Abilities range from beginning students with no previous musical training to advanced musicians who perform alongside groups such as the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and the Marshall County Church Orchestra. Students in the PCYO learn and perform through three music ensembles–Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra and Concert Orchestra. Each ensemble meets for two rehearsals per week during the school year and three separate week-long summer camps throughout the summer.
Formal concerts are presented throughout the year, as well as less formal events at the Blueberry Festival and for organizations such as Ancilla College, Tri Kappa, River Park Neighborhood Association and Miller’s Assisted Living Community. PCYO members also participate in field trips to experience professional performances in South Bend, Warsaw and other locations.
Parents and community volunteers recognize the value of musical education provided by the PCYO. They also recognize that providing such a rich educational and cultural experience to the community and the children comes at a cost. PCYO expenses include professional instruction, supplies and sheet music, as well as facility costs and field trips. Although the PCYO receives some funding from the Plymouth Community School Corporation, this funding covers less than half the cost of the students’ musical instruction alone. To make up the difference, the PCYO must rely on its own fundraising efforts, as well as generous donations from patrons who recognize the importance of continuing to provide music instruction in our community.
Supporters may contribute to PCYO through donations at performances or through its fiscal agent: Marshall County Community Foundation, 2701 N Michigan Street, Plymouth, IN, 46563. For more information, please visit our PCYO website at http://pcyorchestra.webs.com/
Submitted by Lyn Ward
