Golden State Youth Orchestra

There are still a few hours left in "Prime Day." If you find yourself shopping via Amazon, why not switch over to AmazonSmile? Just point your browser (or modify your Amazon bookmark) to smile.amazon.com and choose the charity you want to support: Golden State Youth Orchestra. Then shop like normal. Through the Smile program, Amazon will donate 0.5% of all eligible purchases to GSYO. All prices and products are the same as they would be if you bought them without using Smile. Thank you for helping to support GSYO music education and performance programs for our students!

"They walk on stage and they shake my hand. Now, the Maestro is not shaking my hand personally only. He is symbolically shaking hands with the entire orchestra through me." Friend of GSYO David Kim explains what it means to be a Concertmaster.

Sinfonietta had their own meme-a-thon on Saturday. These are some of the favorites.

Winners/favorites from Thursday night’s House Cup Meme-a-thon competition!

This is for everyone who answered "Fast Five" on today's quiz - and it was A LOT of you! #GSYORetreatAtHome

Retreat @ Home Bingo! While we can't be at UCSC this year, there are some things you can do to bring the Retreat experience home. Earn points for your House by completing a "bingo." That's three tasks across, down, or diagonal. Use the free space to make your life easier. To receive credit, take a photo of yourself completing each of the bingo items and email your pictures to [email protected]. Be sure to include your name and your House name! A bingo is worth 75 points, while a blackout (completing all challenges) is worth 500 points. All pictures must be in by 5pm on Thursday, Aug. 6.

Our Symphony kids are SUPER creative! On the first night of GSYO Retreat @ Home, the students created these awesome banners to show their House pride!

Her priceless cello was stolen. Nearly 40 years later, it was found in the hands of a child prodigy.

Free and open to the public! What a special opportunity to hear from some great musicians!

From the Vault Friday: Dr. Jindong Cai conducts Copland's "Lincoln Portrait" with special guest narrator Maestro Michael Morgan at the 2018 Annual Benefit Concert. In addition to descriptions of Abraham Lincoln and information about his life, Copland weaves quotes from President Lincoln's speeches throughout the work. This is from his address to Congress on Dec. 1, 1862: "The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves and then we shall save our country."

A statement of support from GSYO: