Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies

What it reported doing in 2024

See schedule o.the greater twin cities youth symphonies (gtcys, pronounced git-seez) opens doors to music and provides a musical pathway for students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Our music education programs break down barriers and help students excel musically, build a lasting love of music, and develop lifelong skills like teamwork, perseverance, and community engagement. Gtcys is unique with its equal emphasis on excellence and access, and our ability to continually expand programming to meet growing interest and community needs while maintaining high artistic quality at every student's level. This strategy has been a catalyst for ongoing programmatic growth and gtcys has become the largest youth orchestra program in the country. Gtcys is also unique in the amount and scope of programming we provide in contrast to the modest size of our staff and budget. Highlights of the 2024-25 season include: gtcys' school-year orchestras expanded to 11 with the addition of camerata vivace based in the east metro. 914 students ages 7 18 from across the region developed musical and personal skills through weekly rehearsals, sectionals with professional musicians, performances, chamber music, leadership and mentoring opportunities. Four orchestra levels with east and west metro locations create convenient geographic access for families. In fall 2024, harmony launched a second program site at l'etoile du nord french immersion (lnfi) school in st paul. In total, harmony offered low-cost, year-round violin/cello instruction for nearly 100 2nd-5th graders at lnfi and at our original partner site riverview dual spanish/english immersion school (st. Paul). Summer camps: in addition to 3 week-long summer orchestra camps, students benefited from a brass ensemble camp. In total, 231 students participated in gtcys' camps which took place at the university of mn school of music, and included sectionals with professional artists, social activities, and a free public concert at ted mann concert hall. Concerts: 31 performances (22 of which were free) engaged 16,427 in-person audience members at venues across the twin cities including senior care centers, local schools, mn veterans home, union gospel mission, and professional concert halls like orchestra hall. Performances included 5 free in-school concerts to inspire elementary school children. Nine gtcys concerts including festival concerts at orchestra hall and symphony series at ted mann concert hall were livestreamed for free, reaching an additional 6,004 audience members across the country. In total, gtcys engaged 22,431 audience members during the 2024-25 concert season. Need-based scholarships: students benefited from $250,048 in need-based scholarships for school-year orchestras, summer camp, weekly private lessons, and pathway musicians. 23% of gtcys' students received scholarships or subsidized support. Pathway musicians program: in fall 2023, gtcys launched this new program to nurture talented hispanic/latinx and black/african american musicians with financial support for lessons, instruments, camps, concerts and mentoring with professional musicians. Four st. Paul area students continued in the program for the second year. Launch lessons: as part of our ongoing equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives, 8 non-gtcys bipoc students benefited from free weekly private lessons (paid by gtcys), most of whom subsequently joined our orchestras. Pro bono school clinics: gtcys conductors led free clinics with 810 band and orchestra students at 11 local public elementary, middle and high schools across the twin cities.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 74%; rating input score 74
• Program expense ratio: 81%; rating input score 81
• Fundraising efficiency: $3.75 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 11.8%; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.95; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.23; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 5.8%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 7.2% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.1% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 11.8% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings