Mahalo for your interest in Hawai‘i Youth Symphony’s annual NOTEworthy Challenge, a way for supporters to make an even bigger impact. Donations to HYS made during the month of September will be matched, and each year we set a fall fundraising goal that we hope to raise by the end of the matching period.
This is YOUR opportunity to get involved with HYS and give us a helping hand to launch our new season and programs. The Noteworthy Challenge supports everything we do, and all contributions are matched dollar-for-dollar by the George Mason Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. Your support can go even further if you make a donation at Foodland or SackNSave and designate your gift to #77060, because your support will be partially matched!
Last year we raised over $50,000 and with your help, we can do it again. Mahalo!
The NOTEWorthy Challenge 2026
For our 2026 NOTEworthy Challenge, we celebrate that “Music Belongs to Everyone,” the belief that music doesn’t belong to just one person – it belongs to every young musician, ʻohana, and member of our community from keiki to kūpuna! Our goal is to raise $50,000 to continue our mission of creating a Hawaiʻi where music enlivens communities across generations. This September, you can DOUBLE your impact by making a donation (of any size!) through the NOTEworthy Challenge!
By supporting HYS you make it possible for us to reach our FY27 goals:
- Full neighbor island county participation in our programs throughout the year.
- Programming for students of all levels, from no music experience through highly-advanced-level students.
- 50+ FREE concerts to showcase skills throughout the year.
- Keiki have access to free and affordable introductory music classes.
- 100% of HYS students benefit from subsidized tuition.
- $113,000 in need-based financial aid to be distributed to 25% of our student body (~175 students).
- Provide ALL HYS students access to great teachers and special performance opportunities.
- Professional development and training for faculty and staff, feeding their curiosity, intellectual, and creative capacities.
Your contributions help us to maintain a steady beat of opportunities for students to grow!
Donation Matching Programs
During the month of September, HYS donors and friends have a unique opportunity to increase their impact through the generosity of two matching programs!
Give Aloha – Use Code #77060 at Foodland
From September 1 – September 30, Foodland and Sack N Save stores statewide will take donations at their registers as part of the Give Aloha Campaign. Donate any amount (up to $249) and, if you’re a Maikaʻi Member, your support will be partially matched. Make sure to use code #77060 so your donation will make its way to HYS!
If you donate through Give Aloha, please send your receipt to us at admin@hiyouthsymphony.org so that we can properly acknowledge your support!
Donate to our Annual Fund – Dollar-for-Dollar Match
Hawai‘i Youth Symphony is honored to be a recipient of the George Mason Fund’s challenge grant! Annual Fund donations received directly through our website, or by phone or mail, will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the George Mason Fund (up to $15,000).
Other Ways to Participate in the NOTEworthy Challenge
Fundraising is a community effort! We appreciate your help in spreading the word. Here are some free ways that you can help HYS continue to increase access to music education and provide special experiences to Hawaiʻi’s keiki.
- Share our NOTEworthy Challenge social media posts on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn (search “Hawaii Youth Symphony” in the giphy library to find gifs like this!)
- Send our Give Aloha Code 77060 to family, friends, coworkers, and ask them to share it with others who shop at Foodland or Sack N Save too!
- Forward one of our NOTEworthy Challenge emails to your network.
- Donate your Foodland Maika‘i points to support the Give Aloha Matching Gift (this increases the pool that will be divided amongst HYS and all other participating Hawaiʻi nonprofits!)
How Does HYS Make An Impact?
Hawai‘i Youth Symphony is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides music education programs for children of all levels. We are Hawaiʻi’s only statewide music education organization, and are proud to bring music to areas with limited access.
During the 2025-2026 season, we provided quality programming to 700 students from 109 different schools!
- All HYS students have a portion of their tuition covered by our benefactors. Less than 33% of the cost it takes to run HYS comes from student tuition!
- We provide ~$100,000 a year in financial aid to families in need of assistance.
- Several of our music programs are offered nearly free of charge.
- Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony provides free instrument loans to any HYS student who needs one.
Hear From Our Neighbor Island Students!
“HYS allowed me to play with more advanced players and more difficult pieces than I would have had the opportunity to play on Kauaʻi. I believe HYS is one of the reasons why I was able to win the Young Stars competition and play with HSO. Having an entire orchestra of professional musicians accompany me on my solo was a very special experience.” – 2023 alum Kenneth Hironaka
“HYS has truly impacted my life in many ways, not just musically. As a neighbor island student, I have to regularly fly to Oʻahu for rehearsals. This has taught me time management and independence.” – Kauaʻi student Naomi
In addition to school year programs, we also welcome neighbor island residents to attend our Pacific Music Institute summer intensive.
“I’ve never been in a real orchestra before, so I wanted to see how it felt. I’ve been inspired to learn new skills and play at a higher level than I was before.” – Hawaiʻi Island student Andrew
“It was cool to learn from other band directors and their way of teaching. I’d only practiced in separate groups before, so PMI was the first time I had the opportunity to play altogether as a full group.” – Hawaiʻi Island student Emmerson
Mahalo for supporting Hawaiʻi’s students across the state through the NOTEworthy Challenge!
Hawai‘i Youth Symphony
1350 S. King Street, Suite #201
Honolulu, HI 96814
EIN: 99-0119771