With a mission “to develop young people as artists, citizens, and leaders through the shared pursuit of musical excellence,” the VYOA is committed to providing instrumental and choral experiences for students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Over 300 students in grades 1 – 12 from across Vermont and neighboring states participate in our three orchestras, two choruses, string training programs, community engagement initiatives, and summer camps, making the VYOA our region’s premier youth orchestra and chorus program. All of our students leave the VYOA with a respect for music, for learning, and for the arts, attributes that will enhance and touch their lives in our communities and beyond. All programs are based at our beautiful home, the Elley-Long Music Center at St. Michael’s College. This season, VYOA orchestras and choruses will give more than 20 performances at the Elley-Long Music Center, the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, and at schools throughout the state. The Vermont Youth Orchestra was founded in 1964 by the Burlington Friends of Music with the mission “to do more for music in the schools.” We continue that work today with Music Inspires. Now in its 6th year, Music Inspires is the VYOA’s community engagement program committed to eliminating access barriers to students from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Partnership with area 21-C funded after-school programs is at the very heart of the program. Music Inspires provides group lessons, coachings, instruments, school-day performances, and materials at no cost to students and their families or their schools. VYOA ensembles reach nearly 3,000 schoolchildren annually through school-day concerts. This season, the VYO also looks forward to presenting the third concert of Carnegie Hall’s Link Up concert series in partnership with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and the Flynn Center’s School Day Matinee program.