The Send-Off Concert sets the stage for Symphony's journey through the Pampas (plains) region of Argentina on June 11 - 20. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Russell Smith, students will perform concerts in Buenos Aires, Rosario, and Santa Fe and will participate in two meaningful cultural exchanges with local students. The Santa Fe concert will include a shared performance and social with local youth orchestras, and Symphony will perform with student musicians at St. Andrew's Scots School in Buenos Aires, continuing a unique collaboration started earlier this year when Concert Orchestra engaged student musicians from the school in an international digital exchange.

Students will also learn about Argentina's vivid history through amazing sights and cultural experiences. Their journey includes four nights in the lively capital city of Buenos Aires, where students will take in European architecture, vibrant culture, and historical sites including the Evita Museum and Teatro Colón. At overnight stops in Rosario and Santa Fe, students will see neoclassical architecture and explore the impressive Paraná River on a river cruise. The tour also includes a ranch excursion where students will learn about gauchos who traditionally tend the land and raise cattle and horses.

"GTCYS is equally committed to training great musicians and training educated, well-rounded individuals, and touring plays an important part in developing new perspectives and cross-cultural connections while inspiring students to heightened levels of performance. Argentina will provide an unforgettable experience for students as it has a great convergence of European and native musical traditions, enthusiastic audiences, and a rich cultural heritage." Maestro Smith said about the tour.   

Visiting Argentina will be a first for the vast majority of students who range in age from 13 to 19, represent 43 different schools, and hail from 38 cities in the metro and beyond. So that every interested student has access to this opportunity, GTCYS provided nearly $46,000 in need-based scholarships.

GTCYS performed by invitation at the Granada International Festival of Music and Dance (Spain) in 2014, reinstating a rich tradition of biennial international tours. More than 700 students have participated in GTCYS' 12 international tours which date back to 1978 when Symphony first performed at the Schools Proms in London.

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	GTCYS' Social Media Team: Mitchell Rudoll, Sarrah Bushara, and Juliana Kilcoyne. (Not pictured: Isabella Granse)

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On May 8, our Spring Festival concerts at Orchestra Hall concluded a phenomenal 44^th academic season. Each orchestra celebrated a year's worth of hard work with an amazing performance and both concerts concluded with a stunning mass finale of Holst's Jupiter. Thank you to each of the 606 talented young musicians who made these concerts truly remarkable! And thank you to everyone who donated and bid on items in our online auction which raised $13,000 for our programs and need-based scholarships!

At a reception between concerts at Orchestra Hall, we celebrated the accomplishments of 67 seniors in the Class of 2016 and welcomed them into the Alumni Association. Many of these recent graduates will continue their GTCYS journey this June on the Argentina tour, while others have their own travel and musical adventures planned for the summer and beyond. Next year, students will attend colleges throughout the country, including Cornell University, Columbia University, Grinnell College, Harvard College, University of Minnesota, St. Olaf College, and University of California. While some students will focus their studies on music with majors in education and performance, others will study biochemistry, biology, civil engineering, computer science, environmental sciences, nursing, and physics. As we part ways with this exceptional group of students, we wish them well as they embark on exciting new adventures!

Ruth Watkins joined GTCYS' staff as the director of development in May. New to the Twin Cities this spring, Ruth brings solid experience in individual giving, development strategy, events, and planned giving, and she held previous positions with Columbus Museum of Art and Friendship Village in Columbus, Ohio. While Ruth's first career was in sales and marketing with the apparel industry, she transitioned to nonprofit development work 12 years ago. Her passion for GTCYS' mission, engaging personality, and fundraising skills are well-suited for this new position.

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