A local youth symphony celebrated a special milestone Monday.
The San Luis Obispo Youth Symphony brought past and present together for its 60th anniversary Finale Concert at Cuesta College's Cultural and Performing Arts Center.
The group invited alumni from previous decades to return to the stage and perform with current orchestra members.
"I am the oldest of nine siblings, and we have all come through the youth symphony," said Joseph Shanks. "Our young sister is still in the youth symphony, but the rest of us are alumni, and we have played on stage here and there together. But this was really special coming back and playing with almost all nine of us on the same stage for this 60th anniversary concert."
Shanks started in 2008 on the violin but later switched to the viola.
And as he just mentioned, Shanks is one of nine siblings to be a part of the program, with eight of the nine playing together this evening, exemplifying what he describes as a "real strong sense of community."
“The youth orchestra environment — it does so much for students in building teamwork and working together and problem-solving," Shanks said. "It’s just things that are vital to students ... hard work, discipline, practice even when you don’t want to — that sort of discipline and grit."
And the person taking the photo of them in the video above? The Shanks' father.
