Norwalk Youth Symphony Strategic Plan
Looking To Our Future
The Strategic Plan gives NYS the direction and purpose for its future, to change lives through music excellence.
The talent and committment of our musicians and volunteers has inspired us at Norwalk Youth Symphony to consider the future directions and decisions to excite, enhance, and encourage its musicians of all ages. Just as NYS nurtures and challenges its musicians, it understands the need to seek programs, people, and performances to build and enhance its organization strategically. NYS will continue to strive for excellence, to expand community recognition and involvement, support innovative and dynamic programming, foster a variety of educational opportunities and experiences, provide more instrument training for the underrepresented and economically disadvantaged in our local area, and increase our current musician membership.
NYS has determined specific ideas for the next stage of growth and development. This guide will help communicate the goals and focus for the next few years.
Your financial and volunteer investment will make a difference, and will enable us to achieve our goals in the areas of Artistic Excellence, Concert Production, Community Outreach, and Financial Aid.
Artistic Excellence
NYS first priority is to strengthen its artistic program. Our musicians interact with highly talented and committed artistic faculty, including conductors and professional coaches. NYS will emphasize the following areas:
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Music Director
The Music Director builds and sustains the organization's visibility and involvement with the community, cultivating relationships with local public and private teachers to promote participation. The Music Director provides the artistic leadership for Norwalk Youth Symphony. The Music Director creates and develops a unity and sound to maintain the highest quality of artistic potential. The Music Director is the liaison between the conductors and the Board of Directors, to ensure that repertoire is appropriate, and within the budgetary guidelines.
Music Library
Through communication with the Music Director and each conductor, NYS will acquire appropriate music and build an extensive music library for all orchestras.
Master Classes
These classes give NYS musicians an opportunity to work with experienced world-renowned musicians and guest artists. The goal is to have NYS musicians learn and interact on topics ranging from practicing, auditioning and performance skills to instrumental technique and artistic interpretation.
Professional Partnerships
Partnerships with professional orchestras provide NYS students with an opportunity to meet and work with the masters, and to provide special performance opportunities that will have a unique, rewarding, and long-lasting impact on their lives.
Concert Production
NYS is fortunate to have a Norwalk Concert Hall as its performance venue but each year the costs of concert production increase. We must increase our operating income to meet the rising costs of these performances.
Community Outreach
NYS is committed to Lessons in the Schools Program which provides string and brass instrument training for underrepresented economically disadvantaged local youth. Our desire is to expand the program to give more students the opportunity to learn an instrument and play it well. We plan to raise public awareness and increase grants.
Financial Aid
Once accepted into the NYS, no child is denied the opportunity to play in an orchestra because of his or her financial difficulty. Scholarships are given to highly qualified NYS members who demonstrate commitment and talent. We would like to increase the endowment for music lessons and scholarships to help even more children in need.