Throughout the summer, our MLK Scholars visited and learned about our new home at 235 Huntington Avenue. In the video below, they take you on a tour inside the building as renovations are underway!
Hi, my name is Regiana, one of the 2023 MLK Scholars at BYSO. I have been in BYSO’s Intensive Community Program (ICP) for 7 years and I have a passion for playing trumpet, spending time with my friends and family, and traveling the world.
Playing music with other BYSO students has been an incredible experience and created a second family for me and my friends. Over the years, we have shared countless moments of joy, laughter, and even tears. We have supported each other through difficult times and celebrated each other’s successes. Through it all, we have grown together, not just as musicians, but as people. Playing music together gives us a sense of belonging and purpose that is hard to find anywhere else.
For many years, BYSO has needed their own home. Although BYSO has played in many schools, concert halls, and other venues, we have never had a place that truly felt like ours. This has made it difficult to feel open to rehearsing and using these spaces the way we need, limiting both our personal growth and BYSO’s growth. The new BYSO Youth Center for Music will provide us with a permanent space that we can call our own and grow with no boundaries.
As we toured 235 Huntington Avenue a few weeks ago, I felt so excited to finally have a place where we can come together to share our love of music, create memories, and finally have a home to walk into every day. This new home will bring a sense of belonging, purpose, and stability to our community that we have never had before. When you walk through 235 Huntington Avenue, you can clearly see how the new building will play a vital role in strengthening our community and making it a better place. I’m so excited to see what the futureholds for us and for the new BYSO Youth Center for Music to be a hub for music throughout the City of Boston.
Hello! My name is Christian, one of the 2023 MLK Scholars at BYSO. I have been a member of BYSO’s Intensive Community Program (ICP) for the last 7 years. I enjoy playing bass trombone, spending time with my friends, and meeting new people.
Being a part of BYSO’s orchestras with other musicians has been an incredible experience. For years, we have been playing music with each other every week and it has brought so many of us close together as best friends. Each Sunday, we spend hours working on challenging music together, holding each other accountable, and helping each other improve our playing. We have a strong sense of belonging and community that is important to our personal growth. It really feels like we are all family.
Although BYSO is already a strong community, we have never had a place where we can connect and be together everyday. We have rehearsed and performed in many venues across Boston, but none of them feel like ours. The new BYSO Youth Center for Music will finally become our own space to rehearse and hang together. I am looking forward to meeting new friends and growing my current friendships in our new home and I am excited to see our incredible community grow.
