Young musicians take the stage at Winspear for fundraiser

The annual Road to Joy Concert, a fundraiser supporting the Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta, featured performances by students from Ivor Dent School.

The Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta (YONA) took the stage at the Winspear Centre Tuesday night for its annual fundraiser.

The program is offered by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and is modelled on the El Sistema project in Venezuela.

Five days a week for nearly three hours, students learn to play music at no cost to their families.

The annual “Road to Joy” is a fundraiser that supports YONA and features performances from the groups news musicians from Ivor Dent School in northeast Edmonton.

“It’s a moment that can be transformative for many of our young people and our staff and our families,” said YONA network manager Jacquie McNulty. “It’s a moment of coming together, to build something beautiful.”

Organizers say the concert showcases the full range of student musicians in the program.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Brandon Lynch