About

Mission Statement

The Rappahannock Youth Orchestras, Inc., is a non-profit, 501(C)3 organization, dedicated to the nurturing of young people through the discipline of musical performance.  The organization, as of the 2005-6 season, conducts business as Rappahannock Youth Symphony or RYS.

Goals

Mrs. Deborah Tripp founded the Rappahannock Youth Orchestra in 1996, with the idea in mind to offer an additional challenge to the more advanced player.  The orchestras are a supplement to the school programs and serve to raise the standard of playing in public, private, and home schools.  Since 1996 the RYO/RYS has given opportunities to young people from the ages of 8-18 (in the Greater Fredericksburg Area) to excel in the performance of community concerts.  The young people become members who enjoy both the educational and social benefits that RYS extends to them.  These members especially enjoy meeting other young people with similar interests and talents.

History

The RYO held their first organizational meeting on April 14, 1996 at Peace United Methodist Church in Fredericksburg.  Among those in attendance were Deborah Tripp, Founder, Ronald Barricklow, Susan Fines and Ruth Ann Muse.  Special guest speaker was Pauline Anderson, now Musical Director of the McLean Youth Symphony and member of the Youth Orchestra Board of the American Symphony Orchestra League.  Pauline helped the RYO prioritize the development of our initiative in this first meeting.

Those were challenging times, when we set about to develop a mission statement, work towards incorporation and achieve 501(C)3, non-profit status.  It takes a great group effort of positive, willing professionals and volunteers to run an orchestra.  Congratulations to all of you that have helped the orchestra grow over the past ten years.