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Since Linda Edelstein took her first piano lesson at 5 years old – she’d later add oboe and English horn to her repertoire – she’s known music would be part of her life. What she didn’t know was that her talent and passion would inspire thousands of young people.
Now the CEO of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, Edelstein lives out her belief that the arts aren’t a luxury, but a lifeline. “What motivates me is the opportunity to provide a thousand students with 80,000 hours of programming every year, which is the opportunity to literally change their life,” she says.
Studies, including one five-year analysis by MYSO, suggest that music promotes children’s well-being by instilling important – and transferrable – emotional, social and cognitive skills. Edelstein says MYSO alumni are “leading in every sector you can imagine, all over the country,” and more than 90% of alums say they wouldn’t be where they are today without their MYSO experience.
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Edelstein, understandably, attributes her own success to her musical background. After a few advanced degrees and an impressive career in music education and performance, she pivoted to her current role in 2012. Under her leadership, MYSO has become the largest youth orchestra program in the United States, offering more than 40 ensemble and training options for youth as well as outreach programs and public performances.
Edelstein also believes music can incite social change, and she put that into action by launching Violins of Hope Wisconsin, which brings in Holocaust-era instruments to the region for educational and cultural programs and performances.
But the most tangible way Edelstein and MYSO impact Milwaukee and the world is by supporting kids. She sees her work as more than a youth training program – as a spark for broader change. “As we nurture, challenge and inspire young people, the community also gets better,” she says.
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