Yuma Orchestra Association

The Yuma Orchestra Association, (YOA), active since 1976, is a nonprofit (501C3) service organization. These volunteers strive to nurture and cultivate the arts through classical string music in the Yuma area. It is a statistical fact that studying music can increase a child's IQ, promote self-esteem, and enhance one's quality of life. With this belief as our guide, YOA offers to string orchestras in the Yuma area: an extensive music library, an instrument loan program, tuition/lesson scholarships, educational programs for students and conductors, a student mentoring program, physical and monetary support to performing ensembles, and the annual Celebration of Strings. The students active in the Yuma area string programs are learning about responsibility, commitment, and teamwork.

Mission
To nurture and facilitate the existence of classical music in all of the Greater Yuma area, in order to deepen the cultural growth and enhance the lives of all our citizens, regardless of age or financial barriers.

Today many young musicians have the opportunity to participate in their own school orchestras. However, not all schools have a string program. The consortium supports enrichment classes that enable anyone, including adults, to participate in a string orchestra.

History
n the1950s, Yuma showed an interest in educational strings with various school programs. The opportunities expanded in 1980 at Arizona Western College to allow anyone in the region to participate. Over the years one program after another developed, through AWC. In 1992, District One, Yuma Union High School District, AWC, and YOA organized the Yuma Consortium for String Education. The four organizations pooled resources so that string classes could be strengthened in the public school systems.