Writing/Essay/Journal
Everyone who is a part of the Youth Symphony (musicians, parents, and the directors) talked about how much hard work it took for the orchestra to progress. How does it feel to be pushed past your limits? Describe a time in your life where you worked harder than you ever had before. Did you rise to the expectations? Did you become better at what you were doing because of it? Are you someone who likes to be pushed hard to do better? How are different types of energy expressed through this form of art? How could you express yourself with this type of art?

Activity
MYS Co-Artistic Director Claudette Laureano said that the real work of the orchestra began once they could play the piece proficiently. Learn a new art technique in your discipline (example: as a painter, learn a new brush stroke or try a new paint brush or color of paint). When you feel you know how to do it well enough, play with it, test it to find out what else it can do. How does this exploration help you expand your skills?