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WHO WE ARE...
The Golden Gate Philharmonic (GGP) is a non-profit San Francisco Youth Orchestra dedicated to fostering musical talent and providing educational opportunities to children regardless of their gender, race, ethnic or socio-economic background. We fulfill our mission by:
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Nurturing the individual potential of primarily young people by developing their musical skills in an organized and engaging way;
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Encouraging our student musicians to attain the highest standards of musical excellence in the orchestral and chamber music repertoire by providing a stimulating performance-oriented experience;
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Developing a sense of community and community service among our young musicians, and,
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Creating opportunity, through outreach to Bay Area youths, including those less fortunate, to help them develop the skills and discipline gained in the GGP’s program to qualify for college scholarships and enhanced future endeavors.
We began in 1984 as an after-school enrichment program at San Francisco's Aptos Middle School, with goals of fostering orchestra talent in its inner-city community. Our format has been nationally recognized and has helped us attain a solid record of achievement in both musical excellence and outreach.
With an emphasis on an integrated program of chamber music, theory and sectional coaching by fine young professionals, the orchestra presently numbers over 100 students from 40 Bay Area schools with ages spanning grades K through college. By participating at GGP, students can then enrich the school groups that nurtured them with new skills and enthusiasm.
We aim to make the orchestra an essential part of our community, reflecting in its composition the exciting mixture of races, ethnic and socio-economic groups found in our community.
SCHOLARSHIPS GIVEN 2004-2005: $21,175.00
Experienced students from the GGP act as mentors for younger musicians, making it possible for beginning students to progress more rapidly. Peer coaching gives older teens work experience transferable to the real world. GGP musicians also serve as role models for younger students—and their parents—to see what can be accomplished in a short time at this age. Frequent performances help parents monitor student progress and provide motivation and excitement for learning.
At present we are working on creative funding strategies demonstrating the orchestra's inclusion philosophy through outreach to discover and develop talent in our inner city OMI and Mission neighborhoods. Former students have proven time and again that honing their instrumental skills was the magic key to summer music camps and, later, substantial college scholarships. This, in a modest way, is our “affirmative action.” The GGP enjoys a working partnership with the San Francisco Conservatory. We collaborate on programs, share faculty and identify students for further development. Since neither the Conservatory nor the public schools has established an all-city group for this age range or ability level, GGP fills a need for basic orchestral training and prepares many students for the higher demands of the SF Symphony Youth Orchestra.
The common goal of performing challenging music enables youngsters to overcome background differences and to open exciting new horizons to all. Through this experience they learn respect for one another and discover individual strengths hitherto unknown. Many lives have been changed through the power of music!
An exciting avenue of opportunity opened up during the Christmas holidays of 2003. The General Manager of the Cartwright Hotel, Union Square, heard a GGP quartet playing nearby. Impressed with what he heard, he called Director Joan Murray and thus it came about that GGP students perform every Friday from 5 to 6 pm in the Cartwright lobby! The Cartwright has become a major sponsor of our group, donating $200 per hour, and plus allowing us to keep tips ranging from $35 to $150 for the Scholarship Fund. GGP Chamber Groups are also available for weddings and receptions.
Donations for tax credit are gratefully accepted. Support the GGP.
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