If you prefer to mail a check for your donation/contribution, those can be made out to YOGC and sent to:
P.O. Box 8612
Columbus, GA 31908
“….of all the arts I think Music has the most mighty, universal, and immediate effect.” Sir Arthur Sullivan
We take young musicians who are excited about music and hungry to learn more and connect them with the absolute best music educators and the most exciting opportunities that we can. YOGC is where hundreds of students aged 8-18 find lifelong friends, discover their potential for greatness, and experience the joy that only music can bring. YOGC is the only opportunity within at least 100 miles for school-aged children to play in a symphony orchestra and consistently play on professional stages.
Why does this matter for our students? It matters because our students matter; their talents matter. It matters because our children deserve to have the best opportunities to grow and express themselves creatively, no matter what their circumstances are.
Why does this matter for our community? Organizations like Americans for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts have proven over and over again the benefits of music education for children’s brain development. It raises their test scores, makes them perform better in academic subjects, etc. What it also does is form the community leaders of tomorrow. YOGC is actively supporting Columbus 2025’s initiatives by teaching our community’s children how to work as a team to achieve a common goal (perform a piece of music), how to stay focused on a task (working to master a difficult piece of music and performing long pieces of music), creativity, discipline (showing up to rehearsals every Monday night), and empathy. These are soft skills that employers look for when hiring. Music education is workforce development, and today’s YOGC musicians are tomorrow’s leaders in the Chattahoochee Valley.
How can I help? It takes a village to raise a child and run a nonprofit. We would love to see you at our next concert, stay in touch online at Facebook or Instagram, share our news with your friends, and send all of the talented children who play orchestral instruments our way for auditions! Finally, we could not operate without the generous support of a large number of donors. If you would like to make an impact on a child’s life, please support us with a one-time or recurring gift. You can also mail a check made out to YOGC to P.O. Box 8612 Columbus, GA 31908. We gratefully accept non-cash donations to our Morgan Stanley Account #4377-108105-030 and donations to YOGC’s Lynn Whiddon Endowment Fund made out to the fund housed at the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley.