Musical Notes 2024-2025

February 8th - 21st

WYSO members are invited to participate in the Practice-A-Thon by tracking their personal practice time for two weeks and asking family and friends to sponsor them. Prizes will be awarded for the total minutes practiced. All donations will go towards the Musical Notes Family Campaign. Each gift is 100% tax deductible and will help to support the costs of WYSO programming.

How It Works

Ask relatives, friends, neighbors, and parents’ coworkers to sponsor you. Sponsors can pledge in two different ways: (Pledge sheet was included in the Musical Notes packet and can also be found here.)

  1. A flat rate.
  2. Per minute practiced. (A max amount can be set.)

Track personal time between Saturday, February 8, and Friday, February 21. (Practice sheet will be handed out Sat, Feb. 8 and can also be found here.)

Collect donations by check or online credit card payments:

  • The sponsor can donate from this website
  • Check donations can be dropped off at rehearsal
  • Check donations can also be mailed to the WYSO building. Include member's name in the memo.
    Address1118 E Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53703

To earn prizes, turn in the practice sheet during WYSO rehearsals on Sat, February 21 or email a PDF/photo to zach@wysomusic.org.

Practice Goals

Setting a personal practice goal, for example, 300 total minutes (only 22 minutes a day) and obtaining five pledges at 10 cents per minute will raise $200 for the Musical Notes Family Campaign.

How to Ask for Donations and Pledges

"Hello, I play music with the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras. We have a Practice-A-Thon to raise money for our Musical Notes Family Campaign. Each donation is 100% tax deductible and will help to support the costs of WYSO programming. My goal is to practice for (insert your goal) minutes over the next two weeks! Would you be willing to support me by donating to this wonderful cause? (include the link to your orchestra's OneCause fundraising page.)

There are two ways you can support my goal:

1. Donate a flat amount.
2. Pledge an amount per minute I practice. (A max amount can be set.)

I appreciate your support!"

Prizes

Tier One: Any member who meets this goal by February 21 will be awarded a WYSO bumper sticker or pencil.

- Opus One: 140 minutes
- Sinfonietta: 210 minutes
- Concert: 280 minutes
- Philharmonia: 350 minutes
- Youth: 420 minutes

Tier Two: Any member who meets this goal by February 21 will be awarded a WYSO bumper sticker or pencil and will also be awarded a Symphony Bar. (If a member has an allergy, please indicate this on the practice sheet.)

- Opus One: 210 minutes
- Sinfonietta: 280 minutes
- Concert: 350 minutes
- Philharmonia: 420 minutes
- Youth: 560 minutes

Tier Three: Any member who meets this goal by February 21 will be awarded a WYSO bumper sticker, pencil, Symphony Bar and will be entered into two drawings. (If a member has an allergy, please indicate this on the practice sheet.)

- Opus One: 350 minutes
- Sinfonietta: 420 minutes
- Concert: 560 minutes
- Philharmonia: 700 minutes
- Youth: 840 minutes


Drawing for Tier Three:

1. Each orchestra will draw one winner from its members who achieved Tier Three to receive a $20 gift card from Ward-Brodt Music Mall. (Five total winners.)

2. All members who achieve Tier Three will also be placed into a general drawing for the Grand Prize, a $100 gift card of choice from Amazon, Ward-Brodt Music Mall, or Grace Coffee. (One winner only will be selected from all five orchestras.)