METROPOLITAN YOUTH SYMPHONY
Mission Statement
Metropolitan Youth Symphony educates, develops and promotes young musicians. MYS provides music education and performance opportunities for young musicians of all ages and levels of experience. Incorporated in 1975, we enroll 400+ youth from the Portland Metro and SW Washington areas in 15 ensembles including orchestra, winds, jazz, strings, flutes, and percussion. This includes four String Ensembles, entry-level through upper-intermediate level, that meet on Saturdays in Hillsboro. Additionally, MYS offers theory classes that integrate composition at every level and a one-week summer chamber music camp, Portland Summer Ensembles. Our commitment to access is foundational. MYS has a strong tuition assistance program, a tuition-free Beginning Strings program with instruments, classes and one-on-one lessons, a lesson program for Beginning Strings graduates playing in a MYS ensemble, small group coaching, and an In-School Concert Outreach Program that provides 15 concerts at Title 1 schools to reach an estimated 5,000 students each spring.
Financial Overview — FY 2025
Compared with Peers
FY 2025| Ratio | This org | Peer median | Position (P10 → P90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Program expense ratio
Program expenses / total expenses
· higher is better
|
73.9% | 77.7% |
P10P90
|
Below median |
|
Admin expense ratio
Management and general / total expenses
· lower is better
|
8.3% | 14.2% |
P10P90
|
Top quarter |
|
Fundraising expense ratio
Fundraising expenses / total expenses
· lower is better
|
17.7% | 5.9% |
P10P90
|
Bottom quarter |
|
Operating reserve
Months of expenses covered by net assets
· higher is better
|
19.2 mo | 15.8 mo |
P10P90
|
Above median |
|
Liabilities to assets
Total liabilities / total assets
· lower is better
|
2.5% | 11.4% |
P10P90
|
Top quarter |
|
Revenue concentration
Share of revenue from the largest source
· lower is better
|
61.1% | 70.6% |
P10P90
|
Above median |
|
Revenue growth
Year over year revenue growth
|
-15.3% | 7.9% |
P10P90
|
|
|
Expense growth
Year over year expense growth
|
3.0% | 5.4% |
P10P90
|
|
|
Surplus margin
Surplus as a share of revenue
|
13.8% | 0.9% |
P10P90
|
Financial History
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Net Assets | Program % | Staff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.3M | $1.2M | $1.8M | 73.9% | 5 |
| 2024 | $1.6M | $1.1M | $1.7M | 77.7% | 5 |
| 2023 | $1.1M | $994K | $1.2M | 74.0% | 5 |
| 2022 | $1.2M | $864K | N/A | — | 5 |
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