The video above is a snapshot from our 2018-2019 season
The Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association currently has four youth orchestras to serve students at different levels and ages. Students interested in joining the orchestras must audition for appropriate placement.
Click to download SFYSA Program Continuity Document
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TARGET AGE GROUPS FOR ORCHESTRASYSO: Advanced high school
YP: Advanced middle school, and early high school ISO: Advanced/late elementary school and early middle school PSO: Elementary school |
youth symphony orchestra (yso)
william reece waag — conductor
The Youth Symphony Orchestra is the flagship orchestra of SFYSA, featuring the most advanced young string, woodwind, brass and percussion musicians. The ensemble's repertoire spans orchestral classics through twenty-first century works, as well as a spectrum of unique musical collaborations. YSO has performed with world-renowned artists Mark O’Connor, Guillermo Figueroa, and Bobby McFerrin, and collaborated with the Harlem Quartet, Ying Quartet, Denver School of the Arts, youth symphonies from across the United States, and the Santa Fe Fiesta Melodrama. Students in the YSO regularly work with professional musicians in sectionals, and also play an annual side by side with the Santa Fe Symphony. The YSO typically holds a Fall musical retreat in the New Mexico mountains, and recent tours have included the Czech Republic, Germany, Seattle, San Francisco, and Denver.
youth philharmonic (yp)
Jeremy bleich — conductor
The Youth Philharmonic provides SFYSA students with their first full orchestra experience. The YP is open to intermediate and advanced string, woodwind, brass, and percussion students and is targeted for advanced middle school and early high school musicians. YP performs arrangements of classic orchestral works, new music and premiers, and special collaborations in the Santa Fe community.
INTERMEZZO STRING ORCHESTRA (ISO)
ERICA ANGELINE SOLANO — conductor
ISO is SFYSA’s intermediate string ensemble. Members will sharpen their instrumental and ensemble skills, and experience their first repertoire of consistent 5-part ensemble writing (violin 1, violin 2, viola, cello bass). When exiting ISO, musicians should be fully prepared for the experience of their instrument’s traditional role in a full orchestra. ISO is targeted towards middle school and advanced elementary students.
PRELUDE STRINGS ORCHESTRA (PSO)
HALEY LOVELACE — conductor
This “orchestra on training wheels” provides SFYSA musicians with their first large ensemble orchestra experience. Unlike Elementary Strings, the musicians are grouped into an ensemble with mixed string instrumentation. Most pieces performed in PSO are written in 3 part harmony (violins, viola, cello/bass), providing a stepping-stone to standard string orchestra writing (5 parts). Students will have a chance to improve sight reading skills and practice large ensemble etiquette and procedures (rehearsal responsibilities, relationship with stand partner and conductor, etc.) PSO does not require an audition, however students must be enrolled in private lessons to be eligible for PSO enrollment, and the PSO conductor must receive a written recommendation from the private teacher. Most PSO students have at least 2 years of private lessons prior to joining PSO.
PRELUDE STRINGS ORCHESTRA 2 (PSO 2)
OUR 'CONFIDENT READERS' CLASS
HALEY LOVELACE — conductor
In PSO 2, students learn:
PSO 2 combines students playing violin, viola, cello, and bass into a full string orchestra. In addition to the full rehearsal, each week the students participate in either a 40-minute semi-private lesson (2 students) that is taught by one of our instructors OR they arrange their own private lesson with a teacher of their choice and which is arranged outside the SFYSA program. When students can easily work through the pieces given for orchestra rehearsal, the instructors will supplement their education with solos and/or etudes to prepare them for auditions into more advanced programs. Auditions for Intermezzo String Orchestra, Mariachi, and Jazz are held each May.
For students who have come through Level 1 and 2 of Elementary Strings, no student audition is necessary to join PSO 1 or 2, however a teacher recommendation is required to ensure that the student is appropriately placed.
- To sight read new music comfortably
- The skills they need to audition into more advanced ensembles
- To play with other violinists, violists, cellists, and basses from other schools
- To play in 3 and 4 part harmonies
- To prepare music in their private lesson and at home for rehearsing together in class
PSO 2 combines students playing violin, viola, cello, and bass into a full string orchestra. In addition to the full rehearsal, each week the students participate in either a 40-minute semi-private lesson (2 students) that is taught by one of our instructors OR they arrange their own private lesson with a teacher of their choice and which is arranged outside the SFYSA program. When students can easily work through the pieces given for orchestra rehearsal, the instructors will supplement their education with solos and/or etudes to prepare them for auditions into more advanced programs. Auditions for Intermezzo String Orchestra, Mariachi, and Jazz are held each May.
For students who have come through Level 1 and 2 of Elementary Strings, no student audition is necessary to join PSO 1 or 2, however a teacher recommendation is required to ensure that the student is appropriately placed.
