Making sweet music in Korea: Bakersfield musicians on tour

Got a nice note from Teresa Adamo, whose son is among the young musicians on tour with the Bakersfield Youth Symphony in South Korea. (see previous post here) This is a trip of a lifetime for these youngsters. And in a time of budget cutbacks that threaten all music programs, it's heartening to see these kids succeeding. Their achievement should be testament enough to the power and influence of music in a young person's life. To check out the full array of photos go to the youth symphony website here.

Bakersfield Youth Symphony: headed to Korea

If you want to feel good about our town, get acquainted with the Bakersfield Youth Symphony Orchestra (BYSO), made up of 70-plus kids from throughout our community. This is a group of high-achieving seventh through ninth graders that give hope to the idea that young folks can embrace culture. The group is now raising money for a big-time tour of Bucheon, South Korea, where they will perform and stay with local families. BYSO board president Regina Pryor says the kids will "come back changed people." It costs about $1,700 to send each kid on the trip and much of that has been raised, but more is needed. (Contact Pryor at 661-332-9582 to help) The entire tour runs from April 1-9. BYSO is affiliated with the Bakersfield Symphony and rehearsals take place weekly at Thompson Jr. High. BYSO funding comes from corporate and private donations, player tuition fees and ticket sales.