Empire State Youth Orchestra is grateful to receive federal assistance through the Small Business Administration's Shuttered Venue Operators Grant.  This COVID-19 relief, when matched by the continued support of donors, alumni, and friends like you, will give ESYO the resources needed to make transformative investments in our young musicians and artistic faculty while also mitigating projected deficits created by the pandemic.

The past 18-months have been challenging times for music organizations like ESYO.  Never before, in recent memory, were concert halls shuttered, schools closed, and performances paused by a global pandemic. The impact of COVID-19 on ESYO and the young musicians who sound together at each concert is profound and ongoing.  

Concerts were not the only activities paused during the pandemic.  Many young musicians in ESYO missed out on weekly lessons with their private music teacher, while school music ensembles and programs were either reduced, delayed, or temporarily suspended. This season, ESYO will invest in meaningful enrichment opportunities, additional coaching, clinics, and masterclasses to help mitigate the impact the pandemic has had on our musical youth. 

The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, and the additional support from donors and friends like you, will give ESYO the tools needed to offset the impact of increased costs related to the pandemic and enrollment constraints while also providing the resources ESYO needs to tackle the challenges that lay ahead. ESYO performances are more than concerts.  They are celebrations of learning and the capstone of a young musician's joyful pursuit of musical excellence. We look forward with renewed hope and aspirations for another successful season, knowing that we have the support from you and the community at large.