The Georgina Joshi Endowment for the SBYSO was created in 2014 through the generosity of the family of Yatish Joshi and Louise Addicott Joshi, to honor their daughter Georgina. Georgina began her formal voice training at the age of eight, studied violin from the age of three, attended John Adams High School, the Royal College of Music in London, and the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, and performed locally as concertmistress of the South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Indiana University South Bend Philharmonic, South Bend Chamber Singers. She has also participated in renowned summer music programs at Interlochen, Tanglewood Music Center, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and performed throughout the United States and Europe. Support from this endowment has allowed the SBYSO to expand current programs and add existing programs for SBYSO students. These include:

• Significant increase in programming budget, to bring soloists to perform with Symphony Orchestra. 2016-17 soloists include Timothy McAllister (saxophone) and Ben Runkel (percussion)
• Increase in music rental budget, to obtain challenging and cutting-edge music for our ensembles, including music from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring being performed in Feb. 2017
• Creation of the Georgina Joshi Travel Program for the SBYSO, which funds an annual trip for SBYSO musicians. In November 2015 this fund allowed the SBYSO to take more than 50 students to hear the Chicago Symphony Orchestra perform and to meet guest conductor Marin Alsop. Our second trip, in May 2018, featured the CSO performing the soundtrack to Star Wars:  A New Hope while the movie projected on stage.  
• More than doubling the number of $500 Summer Music Camp Scholarships we award at our May concert, from 2 (previous) to 6 (current), to help students advance their musical studies at summer music festivals
• Increase in tuition scholarships available for families with financial need who would like their students to participate in SBYSO.

The SBYSO sincerely thanks the Joshi family for their longstanding commitment to the SBYSO and its mission. We are proud to honor Georgina and the Joshi family.