Please support the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra
February 2022
Dear Friends of the SYO,
We hope you are all keeping well and staying healthy and safe. As the pandemic moves into its third year, I know we all face continued challenges that we had hoped would be long gone by now.
We at the SYO continue to face challenges as well and once again find ourselves in need of financial support.
You can help us get through this very difficult time.
The 2021-22 season was off to a great start. With safety protocols in place the players had been able to come together and rehearse. They also performed two live streamed concerts giving family and friends from all over the world the chance to hear them play once again. In December the SYO and SSTR were finally able to have their first in person, live concert in almost two years! If you were able to attend this concert you know how amazing the energy was. It was truly moving to be able to see these talented musicians do what they do best, perform!
But with all these steps towards something resembling “normalcy”, we are still not back to where we were pre-pandemic. All our typical fundraising opportunities that we relied upon to keep the SYO in a healthy financial position have not again been available to us. We also face some new challenges as the players are currently not able to rehearse at the University of Saskatchewan due to restrictions imposed in response to the current COVID-19 situation. The U of S has been a great partner to the SYO and has allowed the organization to utilize space on campus for rehearsals free of charge. With that not currently available to the SYO we may need to seek out other options for a rehearsal space. This will most certainly come at a cost.
The SYO has been providing an opportunity for musically inclined students to thrive for over 60 years. Not only are they making music together, but they are learning, building confidence, and building friendships that may last for years and possibly a lifetime. Our young players need the opportunity to be with other musicians, possibly now more than ever before. I think it’s safe to say that most of us have turned to music, either playing it or simply listening to it, at some point in our lives to help see us through a difficult time. This is most certainly one of those times.
Please consider making a tax-deductible gift to the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra Inc., so that we can continue to offer a program that supports and encourages musical endeavours in our community while keeping the cost as low as possible for families. After all, where would this world be without music?
Nicole Rothery and Karen Breiter
SYO Co-Chairs
We have partnered with CanadaHelps to provide a safe and easy method of donating online (www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/saskatoon-youth-orchestra-inc).
Or, you are welcome to use e-transfer (treasurer@syo.ca) or send a cheque (Box 21108, Saskatoon, SK, S7H 5N9).
Your generosity will mean so much to generations of young players to come. We appreciate donations of any size and encourage you to consider making monthly or annual gifts to the SYO, if you have the means.
P.S.: Please feel free to share this information with others who may wish to support the SYO, including local business operators. We would be happy to work on a sponsorship package tailored to any need. Contact our Executive Director, Paul Sinkewicz, at info@syo.ca to find out more.
SYO Identity Statement
The Saskatoon Youth Orchestra Inc. provides opportunities to develop and nurture musical excellence by participating in a vibrant youth orchestra program. Through coaching, rehearsal, organizational involvement and performance opportunities, we offer youth, between the ages of 10 and 25, a welcoming, inclusive environment to develop their skills as musicians and to grow as community members. In the process lifelong friendships are formed. We strive to positively impact the lives of our participants and supporters while contributing to the variety of cultural experiences available to citizens in Saskatoon and beyond.