FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. COC-08-055-SC
November 2, 2007
Poinsettias in Bloom for SCV Youth Orchestra With the holiday season right around the corner, the Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra Foundation is taking orders for its second annual poinsettia sale until Monday, Nov. 19, with all proceeds supporting the orchestra. "This is a wonderful opportunity to add red and green to your own holiday, while helping our kids learn to play so that years from now the holidays will still be filled with music," said Sally Angel, president of the SCVYO foundation. A 6-inch pot with 5 to 7 blooms is $12 and an 8-inch pot with 10 to 15 blooms is $29. The pots are wrapped with a festive gold foil. "The flowers are beautiful and are higher quality than most sold elsewhere," said Sue Bozman, vice-president of communications, marketing and external relations at the college. "They easily brighten up a room and would look great in a lobby or office." The plants will be delivered in the college's parking lot off Rockwell Canyon Road (next to Mentry Hall) beginning at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 1. Delivery to a home or business is limited to one address for orders of $250 or more with a delivery charge of $25. In lieu of plants, the foundation will also accept monetary donations, in support of the orchestra. "The funds will go to support our young musicians who work really hard at their music and delight in coming to rehearsals and working with a team to create joyous sounds," said Angel. "Some of these youngsters can't afford private lessons or can't afford the very expensive instruments that they want to play, like oboes and string basses, so we buy them." To get an order form, call the COC public information office at (661) 362-3447 or send an email to pio@canyons.edu. The SCVYO is a three-tiered instrumental music educational program based at College of the Canyons that provides a positive and creative outlet for hundreds of young musicians, ages eight and above, regardless of their ability to pay. The SCVYO is one of the few orchestras in Southern California that allows students to study and perform masterpieces from all periods. Started by the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music in 1960, the orchestra was adopted by the California Institute of Arts in 1969 and was named the Youth Orchestra of the School of Music at Cal Arts. In 1989, the orchestra was adopted by College of the Canyons and took on its current name, the Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra. The SCV Youth Orchestra Foundation, a 501 (c) 3, nonprofit educational benefit corporation exists to raise funds needed to finance many of the operating costs of the orchestra. Those costs include stipends for teachers, the cost of music rentals, duplicating, instruments, music stands and equipment, master classes and scholarships. "Some young musicians get excited when a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic shows up at a rehearsal and conducts a master class, just for them. Our funds go to help pay for these special events," said Angel. For more information about the SCVYO and how to make a donation, visit the orchestra's website at http://www.scvyo.org. | 
