Posted on November 6, 2023 The following inverviews were posted in the Portland Youth Philhamonic (PYP) Blog.
Original post: Blog | Portland Youth Philharmonic
The dedicated young musicians of the Euphonos Ensemble recently put on a concert benefiting Beaverton School District’s Clothes for Kids(this link opens in a new window) on October 27 at PSU’s Lincoln Recital Hall. The members(this link opens in a new window) of the ensemble include Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) musicians Luke D’Silva, Kaylee Nah, Andrew Lee, and Emily Seo, and Portland Metropolitan Youth Symphony musician Alex Tran!
Over the Summer of 2023, Ephonos Ensemble was formed with one core goal in mind: To play chamber music together while supporting the community!
“Most of us met in PYP and have been in the same carpool group since we were in the Portland Youth String Ensemble. Both Alex and I were winners of the Monday Musical Club, and we believed that adding a pianist would greatly benefit the ensemble. With our shared interest in chamber music, we aim to use classical music to connect communities of all kinds.” — Emily Seo
Music truly does bring people together and the group wanted to use their shared love for music to do just that in their own community. The ensemble found that they resonated with the Clothes for Kids mission, in particular - to provide clean, school-appropriate, gently-used or new clothing and shoes to students in need - especially with the Winter season fast approaching. The musicians were successful in raising over $4,000 for families in need!
“It took a lot of communication and careful planning, and we are thankful to everyone who made this concert possible. With the donations, we have purchased 100 pairs of jeans, over 60 jackets, and more than 150 pieces of innerwear. We are incredibly grateful to all the people who came to support our cause.” — Emily Seo
The ensemble was incredibly touched and amazed by the support of their community, who rallied behind them to help them reach their goal.
“We are indebted to our audience for the generosity that enabled this to happen; this success is incredibly motivating to our group. It would mean the world to us if the Portland Youth Philharmonic community would join their fellow musicians in the shared objective of spreading joy, unity, and inspiration through classical music. All of us at the Euphonos Ensemble are greatly looking forward to enjoying and appreciating music with you at future performances soon!” — Alex Tran
The Ephonos Ensemble’s future plans include continuing to inspire people of all ages for years to come! The group hopes to expand the ensemble by opening it up to other like-minded musicians so they can perform and support their community on a larger scale.
“We wish to continue bringing joy and hope in people’s days through music in the future. This could include visiting retirement homes and playing for senior citizens, or performing in community events.” — Kaylee Nah
“With the world encountering a multitude of challenges since the COVID-19 pandemic, our hope for the future is to create a haven where the members of our community can seek refuge from the troubling issues of the world and find relief in the power of music.” — Andrew Lee
These incredible young musicians want to the community to know that they will always aim to keep classical music alive and relevant today and in the future, while also delivering a message of joy and hope. Their personal mission is to use classical music to inspire, strengthen, and unite.
“As current members move on later to pursue academic degrees or other endeavors, we envision future younger members to continue our work. Euphonos Ensemble is blessed to have dedicated members, parents, and mentors. Together, we wish to create a harmonious society, and we hope that others can join or support us in doing so.” — Luke D’Silva
To learn more about the Euphonos Ensemble and its members, visit euphonos.org.
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