Young Musicians Choral Orchestra is the only choral orchestra in the country, using year-round comprehensive music-training, academic tutoring and personal guidance to transform the lives of children and place them on a pathway to college.

A choral orchestra is a miraculous combination of singing and playing orchestral instruments. Each student must sing in the chorus and play in the orchestra, on the same concert. The transformation occurs, seamlessly and in silence for all to witness. It challenges the mind, the vision and the ears of the audience.

The mission of the Young Musicians Choral OrchestraTM (YMCO) is to use high quality, intensive musical training, academic support, and personal guidance to improve the lives of talented, low-income students, ages 9-18, from throughout the Bay Area. By advancing their academic, musical, and personal accomplishments throughout their middle-school and high-school years, YMCO enhances students’ competitive appeal and success at four-year universities and conservatories. All of YMCO’s services are provided at no cost.

YMCO received its IRS Letter of Determination as an independent 501 (c) (3) non- profit organization on June 19, 2013. However, the first time that the students sang and played on the same concert was in June, 2011.

YMCO students currently represent 4 counties in the Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and Solano. They attend over 60 different schools.

Students are chosen through a live audition and personal interview with the President & Artistic Director.

Students hear about the program from YMCO participants, their teachers and via direct mailings to middle and high schools in the Bay Area.

Students between the ages of 10 (current 5th graders) and 17 (current 11th graders) are eligible for membership. They must live in the Bay area and meet low-income eligibility guidelines. Students at all levels of musical achievement may apply.

Students must have a 2.5 GPA upon entering YMCO but must commit to moving the GPA to 3.5 or better by graduation from the program.

The income guidelines that YMCO uses to determine eligibility are calculated from the Federal Poverty Guidelines as published in the Federal Register, annually.

Students are accepted on a rolling basis, throughout the year. Applications

are available by clicking here:

You may also request an application by calling the YMCO office: (510)845-YMCO

(9626) or by sending an e-mail to: ymco@youngmusiciansco.org.

Once accepted into the program, a student is eligible to continue until graduating from high school. YMCO scholarships are renewed, annually, based upon the Istudents successful execution of the three tenets of the YMCO Power Triangle:

Music, Academics and Citizenship.

Applicants are required to play or sing one or more of the following:

- A short composition (does not have to be memorized)

- Scales (one or more)

- Etudes (if applicable)

Beginners are welcome to apply. In those cases, applicants are accepted based upon innate musical skills, which are readily apparent via a brief musicality test.

Though YMCO is a year-round program, the most concentrated period of activity occurs in the summer. The summer session is an intensive 6-week program of daily music classes, 8:30 AM 5:00 PM. Daily attendance is mandatory.

Complimentary BART tickets, ACT Transit and Clipper cards are provided to students to cover transportation for all YMCO sanctioned events, i.e., private lessons, summer session, special events.

Students take 1 or 2 private lessons per week, October through May. They attend weekly YMCO rehearsals at the YMCA/PG&E Teen Center. Monthly recitals are held at various venues throughout the Bay Area.

YMCO is a full scholarship program. All instruction, supplies, music, instruments, breakfast & lunch during the summer and transportation are provided at no cost. However, students must make a commitment to work hard, be accountable and

become ambassadors for the program....at home, at school, and throughout the community. YMCO is a gift, to be valued and protected.

YMCO graduates are admitted to attend the leading universities and conservatories in the nation. 100% of the students are given scholarships; 75% of them are for full tuition and room and board. The list includes: Harvard, Yale, Smith, Brown, Williams,

Stanford, UC Berkeley, University of Michigan School of Music, Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory, Cleveland Institute, Oberlin, San Francisco Conservatory, The New School, Wellesley, Columbia, Brown, University of Arizona, Auburn, Michigan State, San Jose State and Cal Arts.

Each scholarship is valued at $12,000 per student.