News

June 6, 2018

Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO) CHIME (Creating Harmony, Inspiring Musical Excellence) Students Chosen for Prestigious National Music Programs

ESYO Has Received Thousands of Dollars in Grant Money to Support CHIME and Additional ESYO Programs

Two Empire State Youth Orchestra CHIME students have been selected to attend nationally recognized music programs designed to enrich the lives of the students chosen to participate. Both programs are competitive and have many applicants. Taina Melendez, a viola player, was accepted to the LA Philharmonics’ “National Take a Stand Festival” and DeVaughn Miller, a double bassist, received a full scholarship to “Bass Works,” a summer camp in Maryland. In addition to CHIME, Melendez plays in the ESYO Repertory Orchestra and Miller plays in ESYO Concertino Strings.

John Connolly, who heads up CHIME, explained that both students have worked very hard to get to the point of being selected for competitive programs. “I think the thing that makes me the most proud is knowing that the environment we have created for CHIME students has enabled talent from the Schenectady City School District to really shine. It makes me proud to think that these incredible musicians are out in the school district becoming young leaders and showing others that, with the right mindset, there are truly no barriers to excellence,” he said. There has been a GoFundMe page set up so that her mom can join her in California: https://www.gofundme.com/take-a-stand-festival  

The “National Take A Stand Festival” is organized by the LA Philharmonic Orchestra and selects students through video audition. Bass Works is a summer camp specifically for double bass players.

When Melendez found out she was accepted to the Festival she was incredibly excited and told almost everyone she knew. She loves that she is part of CHIME and recognizes that it is helping her to excel on many levels. “It’s helped me realize that I am a good player and people also tell me that as well. It takes me to places that are super cool, like LA. If I didn’t join CHIME I wouldn’t know that I could even do this,” she said. Her goal is to eventually make it into ESYO’s top- level orchestra, the Youth Orchestra.

Miller is both nervous and excited about this new opportunity. He wants to continue working hard in music and never stop playing. He loves his instrument. “It’s a really cool instrument. I enjoy how it sounds. I used to play an instrument in treble clef and I switched to bass clef. It’s really quite a difference,” he said.

The ESYO CHIME program has expanded a lot since it began a few years ago. Next school year it is being implemented in the Troy City School District. Recently, the program received a Capital Region Chamber of Commerce Good News Award. In addition, ESYO has been awarded thousands of dollars in grants over the past year. (See below) Most financially significant, in 2018, was the League of American Orchestra’s Futures Fund $30,000 Grant to support a new “pay what you can” ticket program called Access ESYO. “We are thrilled to receive grants that support CHIME and our other initiatives. Even though CHIME was only recently launched, we are already witnessing incredible results. Students such as Taina and DeVaughn are true success stories but there are many others and we can’t wait to see what additional locations, such as Troy, hold in store for us. CHIME changes lives,” said Becky Calos who serves as executive director of ESYO.

Grants & Awards Information:

2018: (Total=$80,045)

  • $30,000 League of American Orchestra’s Futures Fund Awardover two years to support a new “pay what you can” ticket program called Access ESYO. This new initiative will allow ticket purchase for as little as $1 per seat and will be sustained through a pay it forward campaign inviting donors to deposit the cost of a seat in an online ticket bank. ESYO has never turned away a qualified musician due to economic hardship and is now taking steps to ensure that no audience member is turned away because of the price of a ticket. Utilizing an online platform, Access ESYO will empower patrons to participate at a level they can afford while safeguarding individual integrity. Access ESYO supports the organization’s ongoing efforts to break down barriers to the arts, and grow audiences that, like ESYO’s musicians, are a true reflection of the community’s rich diversity
  • $10,000 Mockingbird Foundation Grantto support ESYO CHIME
  • $10,000 Stewart’s Shops/Dake FamilyGift to support ESYO CHIME Summer Camp
  • $5,595 Community Impact Grant from the Capital Region Community Foundationto support the Helen Cha-Pyo Scholarship Fund
  • $5,000 M&T Charitable Foundation Grantto support ESYO CHIME
  • $4,500 Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable FundGrant to support 2018-2019 scholarships
  • $4,000 RBC Wealth Management FoundationGrant to support ESYO CHIME
  • $3,000 New Music USA Grantto support ESYO’s Samuel Adler @90: Composer in the Community Project

  • $2,500 and $750 in kind D’Addario Foundation Grantto support ESYO CHIME
  • $2,200 Schenectady County Initiative Program Awardto support ESYO CHIME
  • $1,500 Stewart’s Holiday Match Grant to support ESYO CHIME
  • $1,000 Little Family Foundation Giftto support ESYO CHIME

Fall 2017: (Total=$151,000)

  • $120,000 New York State Council of the Arts Grantover 3 years for general operating
  • $25,000 3M Foundation Grantfor instrument purchase and repairs
  • $5,000 O’Bryan Family Foundation Grantto support the launch of CHIME in Troy
  • $1,000 WGY Christmas Wish Campaignto support scholarships