On May 10 and 11, the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS) will come together to celebrate its 53rd season with a collection of three concerts at their Spring Festival located at Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis. More than 1,300 students in the GTCYS program will unite in a powerful tradition of performing “Holst’s Jupiter” and several other songs.
GTCYS provides a platform for students aged 7-18 to grow and excel musically while building lifelong skills that can be applied to future career paths and beyond. The program strengthens community engagement and teaches the power of sharing music to all.
Several members of the community participate in this program, dedicating several hours a week to practice, pushing themselves to achieve their highest potential. For Clara Leslie ’28, the majority of her cello journey has revolved around GTCYS, playing with them for the past five years. For Leslie, “its been very inspiring to be with other musicians who love their instrument as much as I do adding, they also just inspire me to b
e the best musician I can be.”
Milo Richards ’28, who has played his instrument since fifth grade, recognizes that “GTCYS has given me a lot of opportunities to learn, especially being a leader and learning to prepare myself for upcoming rehearsals or concerts,” appreciative of the skills he learns which he can apply to the real world.
The Spring Festival allows Leslie and Richards, among hundreds of other students in GTCYS, to showcase their talents and hard work over the past few months. For Leslie, it is especially meaningful as she enjoys “sharing the music with people,” and “having my family and friends come and watch our shows.” Richards appreciates the experience of hearing the other GTCYS orchestras, appreciating their talents, and “feeling like [he’s] part of that.”
The incredible experience is valued, not just by the musicians, but by the audience supporting them. Suna Sosseh ’28, who attended a recent GTCYS concert, found that “when you sat down in that concert hall, it didn’t feel like you were watching a bunch of children. It felt like you were watching something professional.” Sosseh noted that she “enjoyed just seeing [her] friends perform and being able to witness how talented they are.”
The Spring Festival, bringing together incredible musicians with the greater Minneapolis community, is an event that not only celebrates the remarkable skill and dedication of the young performers in GTCYS but highlights the power of music to inspire and connect those in its presence.
