When I was in high school, the opportunity to be a member of an excellent youth orchestra came my way, and the experience has stayed with me all my life. So I happily accepted a Board nomination with the Philharmonic Association 3 years ago. The PA does so much MORE for young musicians than the organization I was a part of back in high school. They always seek to expand programs or create new ones to fill needs - needs which are many because our local school system cannot provide this kind of orchestral experience for young musicians. Currently, the PA sponsors 4 levels of orchestras and a jazz ensemble. I attended the top group's spring concert a few weeks ago and was amazed at the quality - if I closed my eyes I thought I was listening to a professional orchestra. And yet, the mission of the PA is not at all to exclusively train future professional musicians. The PA is more about creating the next audience for classical music, the next Board members, the next donors - in general, the next generation of those who appreciate classical music

I had been aware of the work the Philharmonic Association (PA) for years because of my own membership during my high school years in a youth orchestra. Only in the last few years, when I joined their Board of Directors, did I really come to understand the need this organization fills. Today schools are pushed to emphasize academic subject more and more. So often the arts are either minimized by only being offered as extracurricular activities or not offered at all. In our area, this is especially true for school orchestras. String programs have suffered cuts, and many school don't offer an orchestra experience at all.

The PA fills this void with not one, but four youth orchestras, geared to student ability, where young musicians learn and perform great orchestral works of the past and present. In addition, they sponsor a jazz ensemble that similarly allows exploration of the big band repertoire.

A unique aspect of the PA that is especially important to me is their emphasis on education. Many youth orchestras operate as pre-professional orchestras, with a primary mission of preparing their members for orchestral careers. The PA takes a broader view. Yes, a percentage of PA members do go on to become college music majors with plans for careers in music. But equally, if not more, important is their mission to create a lifelong love of and participation in music by the students. The PA creates career musicians, but also future parents who will foster a love of music in their children, future audience members, future community arts volunteers, future Board members, and future donors.

I'm very proud to be associated with them.