Thursday, April 30
In This Issue...
  • A Message from Mr. Edmons
  • 2020-2021 Registration
  • Weekend Zoom Sessions
  • Online Resources
  • SDYS Youth Leadership Student Council
  • Motivation to Practice
  • Interview with Eric Guizar, Showcase Oboist
  • This Week in Music History
A Message from Mr. Edmons

Dear SDYS Musicians and Families,

I hope that you are all doing well and that you are all safe at home.

We are looking forward to wonderful Zoom Sessions with your conductors this weekend. As a courtesy reminder there will be  no Ovation Zoom meetings on Saturday, May 2, in order for you to support our Special Encore! online event on that day. Encore! begins at 5pm on Saturday, May 2.  More information on this special event is available at  here.  Ovation Zoom meetings will resume on Saturday, May 9.  

We are also excited to be planning a special end of the year online  SDYS   Celebration  event in June, which will showcase all of the weekly Zoom learning and activities across all levels of our programs. More details will be coming very soon.

Thank you all again so much again for sharing this wonderful ongoing music education partnership with all of us at SDYS. Your inspirational talent, dedication, and friendship is an integral part of the SDYS family.

With Very Best Wishes,

Mr. Edmons
Music Director
2020-2021 Registration
April 6, 2020 - May 8, 2020

Registration for SDYS’ 75th Anniversary 2020-21 Season is open now through May 8!   Please visit My SDYS Portal  to register or visit our  website  for more information.

Auditions

This year, in an effort to safeguard our students and staff, SDYS auditions will be made by video and submitted online through Acceptd.  Students will be able to begin submitting their online audition videos on Friday, May 8, after our June registration period has closed.

Requirements for video auditions have not changed from our traditional audition requirements. Students may upload audition videos between Friday, May 8 and Friday, June 5, when the June audition period closes. All returning students,  except percussionists , must audition by June 5.

All percussionists auditioning for the SDYS 2020-2021 season will audition on August 1 and 2 during our audition cycle usually reserved for new students. We recognize that the wide range of instruments needed to successfully complete an audition are currently unavailable. We look forward to hearing you in person later this summer!

Please visit our website to learn more. 
Weekend Zoom Sessions

All families will receive emails from their conductor about their upcoming weekend Zoom session.

Every Friday by 12:00pm, we will update the Conductor Sessions webpage with Zoom links and passwords. For your safety, the Conductor Sessions webpage is password protected . You can access the password on My SDYS Portal . If you have trouble logging in, please contact conservatory@sdys.org with a detailed description of the issue.
Online Resources: How to Make an Acapella Video

*NEW* SDYS Youth Leadership Council

The SDYS Youth Leadership Council is a youth-led group of SDYS musicians who want to get more involved, connect with other SDYS musicians, and contribute positively to the future of SDYS.

Participants must have parent/guardian permission to join.

Students will be joining a BAND.us group, monitored by SDYS staff at all times. Invitations will be sent directly to student's email following submission of this form:


Please see  https://sdys.org/program/current-students/ to review the online safety measures we are following for this group and all other online interactions.

Thank you for your interest in this new SDYS youth-led initiative!

Lauren Rausch, Conservatory Program Manager
Kaitlyn Korogy, Community Program Manager
Ellie Lee, SDYS Youth Leader
Noor Alramadan, SDYS Youth Leader
Motivation to Practice

As we spend more and more time at home, it can become difficult to stay motivated to practice our instrument. You're not alone! Though everyone's experience at home is unique, we all share the desire to keep practicing and making music. Here are some universal tips to help get motivated to practice:

  1. Try your best to create a clean and clutter free space to practice. No matter the what size space you have, be sure that it is clean and free of things laying on/around your music stand or instrument case.
  2. Keep listening to music, whether it is solo repertoire, chamber music, or symphonic pieces. Check if you can find some sheet music and follow along with the score/instrument part.
  3. Create a consistent schedule. Do you like to practice around 3pm? Before/after dinner? Try to keep the same schedule as many days in a row as possible so it becomes a habit... like brushing your teeth!
  4. Record your practice! What you hear while you play is often different than what you will hear if you record yourself. Recording yourself can become a quick solution to recurring problem spots. 

Keep on practicing! We're all here for you if you have any questions.
Interview with Eric Guizar, Showcase Oboist

What instrument(s) do you play?
I play the oboe and tenor sax.

What SDYS ensemble(s) are you in? 
I am in Concert Orchestra, Concert Winds and I volunteer in Overture Winds. 

How has COVID-19 affected you?  
COVID-19 has affected me in many ways, such as not being able to make music as an ensemble. I had festivals, concerts, and a performance at Disneyland. Also, I haven’t be able to practice and preform for my school band, SDYS ensembles, and with the community. With this situation going on, I still practice my music for hours and it has helped me to get through this hard time. 

Have you run into any difficulties staying motivated?
I haven’t had ran into difficulties to staying motivated because I know what my goal is and I keep reminding myself about that goal.

Once life returns back to normalcy, what do you look forward to most?
One life returns back to normalcy, I look forward to making music with others as an ensemble in my school band, SDYS, and with ensembles in the community. I also look forward to celebrating my birthday because I was in quarantine for my birthday. Also, I want to go to Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Is there anything else you would like to add? 
I can’t wait for the COVID-19 to be taken care of so, that we can go back and make music together as an ensemble. I also want to see my friends and go to Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Thank you for the wonderful interview, Eric!
This Week in Music History

  • Symphony No. 4 by Charles Ives premiered on April 26, 1965 in Carnegie Hall, New York City, USA.
  • On April 28, 1948, Igor Stravinsky's ballet, Orpheus premiered in New York City, USA.
  • Claude Debussy composed more than just Claire de Lune! He also composed operas. On April 30, 1902, Pelléas et Mélisande premiered in Paris, France.
  • On May 2, Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev premiered in Moscow, Russia in 1936. Also on this day, Baroque composer Alessandro Scarlatti was born in Palermo, Italy in 1660.
COVID-19

The SDYS office is closed, and all rehearsals in Balboa Park are suspended until further notice. Staff are available via email and are working to provide opportunities for students to learn remotely. We are continuing to evaluate this fluid situation and will contact you regarding program updates. Please visit sdys.org/COVID-19 for any new information.

Educational Resources

Learn more about programs for preparing for college, summer intensive study, conservatory and collegiate opportunities from our promotional partners.
Sincerely,
Anna Sharp
Conservatory Program Assistant
Financial Support Provided by the City of San Diego.
This activity is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency.
Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.