Youth Orchestra of the Americas

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Youth Orchestra of the Americas
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Organizational Overview
Mission The mission of the Youth Orchestra of
the Americas is to pursue musical excellence,
develop young leaders with cross-cultural
understanding and inspire a spirit of hemispheric
unity that will produce greatness in the people,
communities and governments of the Americas.
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Organizational Overview
Objectives

• Be a symbol that fosters
• international understanding at
• the grass roots level
• Provide a vehicle for
• international recognition and
• promotion of partnerships in
• the Americas
• Create cultural ambassadors in
• our youth

• Use the power of music to
• facilitate international
• understanding through youth
• Create an international
• orchestra of exceptional
• musical caliber
• Provide exemplary music
• education for gifted youth

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Founding Institutions Leadership
The YOA was founded in 2000 under the leadership
of Artistic Advisor, Plácido Domingo

• Presidential Partners led by Honorary Chairmen
  President and Mrs. George W. Bush, and including
  presidents and first ladies from throughout the
  Hemisphere.
• Board of Directors including influential
  business, community and diplomatic leaders from
  throughout the Americas.
• Founding Institutions New England Conservatory
  (Boston, MA) and Vision, Inc. (Caracas,
  Venezuela).

• The organization is also led by
• Artistic Advisory Council including Yo-Yo
  
• Ma, Leonard Slatkin, Martha Argerich,
• Cristoph Eschenbach, Benjamin Zander.
• Leadership Advisory Council led by the
• Hon. Madeline Albright and including
• The Americas Society, The Organization of
• American States, and The American
• Symphony Orchestra League.

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The Orchestra

• Each year the YOA selects an orchestra of 110 of
  the finest
• young musicians from throughout the Americas,
• ages 14-24, who participate on full scholarship
• including travel, accommodations and expenses.
• Membership is open to all residents of the
  participating
• countries in the Western Hemisphere.
• Musicians are selected foremost on their artistic
• accomplishments with great effort being made
• to ensure participation of all countries.
• In 2002, 110 musicians from 19 nations were
  selected to
• participate 110 musicians from 21 countries were
  
• awarded positions for the 2003 season.

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Performances Activities

• The YOA has performed for distinguished audiences
• in some of this hemispheres most prestigious
• concert halls and venues, including
• The Teatro Colón Buenos Aires, Argentina
• The Palacio de Bellas Artes Mexico City, Mexico
• The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• Washington, DC
• The United Nations New York, NY
• The Organization of American States
• Washington, DC
• Guest conductors and soloists have included
• Cellist Yo-Yo Ma
• Conductors Leonard Slatkin and Benjamin Zander
• Saxophonist Paquito DRivera
• Pianist Jorge Federico Osorio
• Young soloists, including Argentinean pianist

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Audiences

• Since the YOAs inaugural tour in July 2002,
• formal concerts, youth exchanges and
• outreach programs in cities across the Western
• Hemisphere have brought the music and
• musicians of the YOA to more than 70,000
• people including young people and
• families artistic, business and diplomatic
• leaders audience members
• and the general public.
• Nearly 13 million people have been
• reached through positive media
• imprintsin print, on television, on the
• radio, and through the internetand
• thousands more are hearing and
• seeing the YOA through its inaugural tour
• CD and Symphony, a documentary film on
• the birth of the organization.

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Community Outreach

• The YOA community collaboration program provides
  children
• throughout the Hemisphereespecially those in
  low-income areas and
• those with little access to musicopportunities
  for close interaction with
• the young musicians of the YOA as well as
  internationally
• renowned artistic and educational leaders. This
  program encourages
• young people and their families to strive to
  achieve academic
• and personal excellence, and to be self
  sufficient,
• involved community members and citizens.
• The program includes formal and informal music
  performances,
• workshops, master classes and exchange programs.
  These outreach
• activities provide opportunities for diverse
  communities to initiate
• dialogues and working relationships both within
  their own communities and
• with other external entities, and develop pride
  and a sense of
• accomplishment as they nurture their youth and
  families.

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What The Critics Say
Youth Orchestra of the Americas makes a
triumphant debut! The Boston Globe
The performances were notable for
professionalism, precision of ensemble and
intonation and, above all, apparently unlimited
energy. The Washington Post
It was a triumph for the orchestra. Ma beamed
as he turned to encourage the young players the
musicians rose to the occasion and matched Ma's
energized and inspired playing. The New York
Times
The presentation of the Youth Orchestra of the
Americas resulted in a true musical apotheosis of
youth it reaffirmed every one of the objectives
for which it was created, especially to establish
a cultural embassy, a model, to promote
international understanding through the powerful
bond of music La Nacion (Buenos Aires)
Friendships quickly formed across boundaries,
ages, and language. Music and international
harmony blossomed. NPRs The World
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Musician Scholarship Program
All YOA musicians participate on full scholarship
to negate economic diversity within the audition
process. The approximate cost of
participation, including training, living, and
travel expenses for the year-long program, is
10,000 per musician. The YOA musician
scholarship program ensures that all selected
musicians, regardless of economic background or
means, are able to participate.
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What the Musicians Say
It is impossible to explain how great wasthe
artistic, human, and cultural experience that we
received through this tour. I will return to my
home much richer than when I left, rich with
culture, new experiences, and new
friendships. Marcio Ceconnello Violin, Brazil
With the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, I have
not only grown as a musician, but also as an
individual. Interacting with people from all
over the Americas has opened my eyes to new
perspectives on life and a new way to look at
everyday experiences. Musically, my
capabilities have expanded way beyond what I
could have expected I know that I have benefited
and will continue to benefit from YOA for the
rest of my life. Emma Murley Trumpet, USA
It was while the children, invited by Maestro
Prieto to sit with the orchestra onstage,
watched in surprise how the sounds emanated from
the instruments that surrounded them, that I
thought about the impact that the music they
were hearing would have on the lives of these
young people. It is unique that so many
countries have united for this good cause. Rene
Hernández Violin, Honduras
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Conclusion
The YOA is already becoming a key cultural,
musical and educational link between countries
and peoples of the Americas. By becoming a Friend
of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, you can
help further its mission of artistic excellence,
cultural exchange, advanced youth education and
integration of the hemisphere.
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For more information about the Youth Orchestra of
the Americas, please contact J. Marti Figueres
B. or Livia Gutierrez-Quirazu Costa Rica Friends
of the YOA [phone] (tel) [phone]
(fax) quirazu_at_racsa.co.cr or contact Carrie
Holbo, Director of Development Youth Orchestra of
the Americas 1001 Nineteenth Street, North 16th
Floor Arlington, VA 22209 USA [phone]
(tel) [phone] (fax) cholbo_at_youthorchestra
oftheamericas.org www.youthorchestraoftheamericas
.org