Thursday, March 21
Traffic Alert for Sunday, March 24

Hot Chocolate Run - March 24, 2019, 5:00 am - 10:00 am
Events and closures around Florida Street, Upas, Jacaranda,
Pershing and Golden Hill Park
A Few Timely Reminders

Dear SDYS Families,

Rehearsals in Balboa Park are busy, fun times. Because your child is important to us, here are some reminders, information, and suggestions to ensure smooth operations at rehearsals.

  • We expect students to be respectful to each other, their conductor, and other SDYS employees. Musicians who exhibit inappropriate behavior at rehearsals or events will be subject to consequences, up to and including dismissal from SDYS. Examples of inappropriate behavior include horseplay, harassment, intimidation, and bullying. More examples are available in the "Attendance and Conduct" section of the Musicians' Handbooks available here. 

  • Balboa Park is a public park, and the Casa del Prado, where our rehearsals are held, is a shared-use space. SDYS is only able to chaperone students when they are in their rehearsals and upstairs patio. Please note:
  • Consider escorting your child to and from rehearsal. We know that parking can be challenging, but children are safest with a trusted adult.
  • If you are running late to pick up your student from rehearsal, feel free to call the main office at 619-233-3232 to let us know.
  • We are working with the City of San Diego to, at some point in the future, key code the upstairs bathroom doors in our building. SDYS employees will have access to the code. We will let you know when the keypad is installed.

  • In the rare case of an emergency in which our building needs to be evacuated, our staff will escort students to the Lily Pond in front of the Botanical Building.  

Your child’s safety is of the utmost importance to us. We are pleased to work with our families to provide an exciting and rewarding experience at SDYS. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the SDYS office and ask to speak to a Conservatory staff member.  
2019-2020 Registration Opens for Returning Students
April 2 - May 20

Online registration for the 2019-2020 season will open April 2 and closes May 20! Current students will be able to enroll through the Parent Portal. Click here for more information.

Auditions will take place Wednesday, May 29 - Saturday, June 15.
Symphony Orchestra 2018-19
Debut and Beginning Concert
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Time: TBD

Debut Winds, Debut Strings, and Beginning Strings will be having a concert on April 14 at the Veterans Museum in Balboa Park!

Veterans Museum
2115 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101
Graduating Seniors

If you are graduating from high school and SDYS this year, we would love to acknowledge your accomplishments and your future plans on our year end concert program.

We're proud of your accomplishments and excited to hear about the next phase of your life!

To be included on our year end program, please send the following items to Communications Coordinator Anji Taylor ataylor@sdys.org .
  • Your name 
  • Head shot
  • Name of college or university you will be attending
  • Your major

Thank you, and congratulations!  
Welcome, Anna! 

SDYS has hired a new Program Assistant! Anna is a San Diego native and has been involved in music for over 12 years. She has a degree from SDSU in International Business and double minor in Classical Music and Sustainability. Feel free to say hi to Anna this Sunday!
Guest Conducting Visits and
Showcase Seminar with Music Director, Mr. Edmons
Saturday, March 30
Join Music Director Mr. Edmons for guest conducting and an informal information session during rehearsals on Saturday, March 30. Learn about SDYS' resources and ideas for how to plan your journey through Conservatory programs.
Schedule for Saturday, March 30

10:00am-10:30am - Mr. Edmons guest conducting Wind Symphony

12:10pm-12:40pm - Mr. Edmons guest conducting Sinfonia

12:40pm-1:00pm - Seminar for all Showcase Families Room 207 "The Journey through the SDYS Programs and Opportunities for students and Families at SDYS"

1:15pm-1:45pm - Mr. Edmons guest conducting Concert Orchestra

5:00pm-5:15pm - Mr. Edmons guest conducting Concert Winds
Student Night at the Opera
Free Ticket Offer
San Diego Opera has generously offered our students 20 free tickets to attend a performance at their Student Nights at the Opera on Thursday, March 28 at 6:30PM.
There are currently 8 tickets left.

Carmen
by Georges Bizet

Sung in French with projected English super-titles. For more information on the opera,

Date: Thursday, March 28 at 6:30PM 
Venue: Civic Theatre (1100 3rd Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101)
Music Educator's Concert Photos
Inspiration & Showcase
Sunday, March 10
Rehearsal Photos
Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3
Music Educator's Concert Photos
Ovation
Sunday, February 10
If you have any technical difficulties or have any questions regarding the photography, please contact the photographer Ken Jacques directly at ken@kjphotography.com .
T-shirts & Hoodies On Sale Now
This season's T-shirts and Hoodies are now available for sale at rehearsals! The new shirts and hoodies feature the winning artwork by Nina Bonaventure from our annual T-shirt design contest. Please see a production assistant to purchase at rehearsals. Items can also be purchased online at sdys.org.

T-shirts are $15 (available in Youth unisex, Men's, and Women's sizes)
Hoodies are $35 (available in Men's sizes)

Please note: Merchandise is not available for delivery at this time. Please plan to pick up your order at weekend rehearsals or at the SDYS Main Office during regular business hours. 
Looking for ChIMES Guest Performers!
Would you like to be a guest performer for young children ages 0-5 and their caregivers? SDYS is seeking Conservatory musicians to be featured on a Friday or Saturday morning ChIMES music class in Balboa Park. Play a short piece of music of your choice, as well as a classic kid favorite: Twinkle Twinkle, Mary Had a Little Lamb, etc.

Guest performers needed from 10:00 am-11:30 am on these dates:

  • FRIDAYS: March 29, April 5, April 12, April 19, April 26 and May 10

  • SATURDAYS: March 30, April 6, April 13, April 20, April 27 and May 11

This is a fun experience that also counts for community service hours!

Click here for more information or contact chimes@sdys.org for more details and to sign up for the opportunity .
Donate an Instrument
We are accepting wind and string instruments that will all be going to conservatory and community 
students that need them. You can drop them off Monday - Friday during regular business hours, or 
on the weekends during rehearsals.

We have an immediate need for violas and trombones!

For any questions regarding instrument donations please email Charlie Perkes 
Kudos!
Share your exciting news about substantial musical achievements. We'll post them in the weekly update to inspire others!

Katherine Perrine (Ovation Program Principal French Horn) is a winner of San Diego Unified School District's Visual and Performing Arts Department (VAPA) Spotlight Award in the category of Artistic Achievement! Katherine will be receiving a scholarship from the VAPA Department. Kudos, Katherine!

Please submit your recent music-related accomplishments by email to Conservatory Program Coordinator, Brenna Casey at  bcasey@sdys.org .

As a courtesy reminder we ask all SDYS students to please respect the privacy of all
students and families. Please do not use emails from SDYS to send personal messages
to other students or families.
General Information, Other Events, and Opportunities 

The events listed below are for information only. They are not sponsored or evaluated by, and do not have a connection with SDYS.

Musicians are not allowed to exceed the maximum permitted absences according to the Musician's Handbook by participating in any events listed below.
NPR’S  FROM THE TOP
Presented by La Jolla Music Society
Saturday, April 13, 2019 · 6:00 PM
The Baker-Baum Concert Hall
 
Join the studio audience at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center for a live taping of  From the Top , one of National Public Radio’s most popular weekly music programs.  From the Top  shares the stories and performances of pre-college classical musicians with more than half a million listeners each week. Vijay Gupta, violinist, social justice advocate, and 2018 MacArthur Fellow, hosts the program and will be joined by special guests, including the San Diego Youth Symphony Chamber Orchestra, pianist George Li, local students Audrey Park, Kevin Song, and others.
Purchase tickets here .
mountain-range.jpg
Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp
August 4-11, 2019
Golden Bell Camp, Divide, Colorado

Set in the beautiful Colorado Rockies outside of Denver at Golden Bell Camp, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp is staffed with world class musicians who are
highly regarded for their superb playing as
well as excellent teaching.

In addition to classes during the day, there are evening contra & square dances, jam sessions, concerts, camper talent night, campfire, and opportunities to hike and swim.
ArtsBridge Summer Programs
ArtsBridge Summer programs give actors, singers, and classical vocalists two intensive weeks immersed in their art form with the addition of specialized guidance on what it takes to succeed in the college admissions process for performing arts programs.

For more information, please visit ArtsBridge Summer Programs.
Registration deadline: rolling
Registration deadline: June 1, 2019
San Diego Bass Fest
SDSU Community Music School
June 18-22
The Fourth Annual San Diego Bass Fest is an intense, informative, and exploratory 5-day double bass workshop. The San Diego Bass Fest aims to energize and unite the bass community in San Diego and will include internationally renowned bassists and educators who provide personal one-on-one and group instruction to students of all levels and all ages.

Balboa Park Explorer
Purchase the Balboa Park Explorer through the San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory, and a percentage goes towards our work to "make music education accessible and affordable for all!" 

One day, multi-day, and annual pass options are available.  

For more information and to purchase your Balboa Park Explorer now,  click here
Sincerely,
Brenna Casey
Conservatory Program Coordinator
Financial support provided by the City of San Diego.