New Yao Family Endowment Supports ESD's Music Program

August 15, 2023

The Episcopal School of Dallas is thankful to announce the establishment of the Yao Family Endowment, a generous gift supporting the school’s music program.

“The Yao family gift is significant and noteworthy in two ways: their endowment creates a permanent source of funding for The Arts – specifically our strings program, recognizing a meaningful part of their daughter’s ESD experience,” said Denis Stokes, ESD’s Chief Advancement Officer. “The family’s generosity also extends to maintaining a leadership level of annual support to The ESD Fund as a part of the Head of School Circle.”

At ESD, music plays an important part of a child’s education and begins with the youngest learners singing, playing various instruments, experimenting, and moving. In middle school, students begin to learn the mechanics of reading and producing music as well as working together. The music program in the upper school is designed to cultivate a high degree of skill, with students honing their techniques and being encouraged to participate in local and state contests and travel performances. AP Music Theory further cements the student-performer’s understanding of the methods and concepts used to craft and perform music.

“In establishing this endowment for the music program, we hope more students will be excited to participate in the music program in the future,” said Christine Yao. “Music shapes an individual and most certainly produces a well-rounded student. Our goal is to ensure the next generation of students at ESD continue to have access to the best teachers, instruments, and speakers.”