To inspire excellence in individual students and enrich our community by providing young people with opportunities to participate in, and gain greater understanding of, music and its performance.
Music is a profoundly powerful force, one of the most fundamental and transformative of human experiences. Research consistently shows that studying music shapes young people in lasting ways, strengthening academic performance, social-emotional development, communication, confidence, and teamwork. The discipline of learning an instrument builds focus and resilience, while the collaboration required to play in an orchestra builds teamwork and community.
YMMC is committed to making high quality music education and performance opportunities accessible to all students, regardless of experience or financial means. Our programs, including the Junior Youth and Honors Orchestras, Chamber Ensembles, Orchestra in the Schools, and South County Strings, serve over 350 youth from nearly 40 schools across Monterey County.
This season, we are proud to welcome back Honors Orchestra alumnus Alan Truong as our Music Director, a powerful testament to our dedication of nurturing young musicians from beginner to advanced.
Our programs serve over 350 students from nearly 40 schools across Monterey County, fostering the next generation of engaged, resilient, and creative leaders. Through rigorous ensemble training and a commitment to excellence, we help young musicians develop discipline, confidence, and teamwork – skills that prepare them to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex world. Over the years, YMMC has nurtured thousands of Monterey County students, many of whom have gone on to excel not only in music, but in fields such as medicine, law, education, and engineering. Our alumni consistently cite YMMC as a formative experience that shaped their personal and professional success. Beyond individual achievement, YMMC strengthens the cultural fabric of Monterey County by instilling a lifelong appreciation for music that enriches families, schools, and communities, generation after generation.
The euphoria of making music at YMMC has never left me, despite the years that have passed since graduation. It was at YMM that for the first time, I understood that I was taken seriously as a musician. Here, I became aware of the joy and responsibility of artistic ownership. After my time at YMM, I became a conductor, put through the paces at Juilliard, Oberlin, and even the New York Philharmonic. Despite the stature of the musicians that I've been around, my experience at YMM persists as the standard for dedicated and meaningful music-making. As the artist I am now, it is not so much the correct pitches or timing that make the experience worthwhile, but the care and presence demanded by each musical moment — and it is the greatest lesson I take from YMM each and every day.
- Alan Truong, Salinas
