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High Notes: The Case for Music Education To Debut the Week of April 17

San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory (SDYS) recently announced that its newest video making the case for the importance of music education in our schools will debut on UCTV, the week of April 17, with prime time airings at 6:30PM and 9:30PM PDT on Thursday, April 20. The production was a joint effort of San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory in partnership with UCTV, based on the campus of UC San Diego, and more specifically, UCTV’s STE[+a]M Channel. The STE[+a]M Channel is dedicated to the movement to integrate the arts into traditional Science, Technology, Engineering and Math curriculum.

Watch the Video on UCTV’s STE[+a]M Channel

Using interviews with students and parents along with expert testimony from researchers and school administrators the video affirms the benefits of music education. It tells the story of the successes of SDYS’ Community Opus Project, offered in partnership with Chula Vista Elementary School District (CVESD). What began as an after school program in 2010 serving 65 students at two schools, has grown to serve 350 students representing 54 schools district wide. CVESD was so convinced about the importance of music and the arts as evidenced by increasing test scores, improved attendance, better behavior and increased parent engagement, it committed over $15 Million to fully restore arts education during the regular school day curriculum to all 29,000 of its students.

The video also highlights the efforts of SDYS’ partnership with UCSD’s Center for Human Development on the SIMPHONY Study. This study led by Dr. Terry Jernigan, Director of the Center for Human Development, and Dr. John Iversen, lead researcher for the study, is tracking students over a five year period, examining physical changes to the brain among students who study music, compared to those who do not study music. It is also measuring the effects of music on cognitive ability and attention span.

SDYS Board Member, Dr. Ed Abeyta said, “The STE[+a]M Channel partnership with San Diego Youth Symphony is important because it showcases the impact music, and the arts in general have in promoting learning and student engagement in our schools. It is the most recent example of our vision to make music education accessible and affordable for all.”

UCTV producer John Menier said, “UCTV is pleased to partner with SDYS through our STE[+a]M Channel because of our shared goals of broadening cultural horizons, embracing diversity, and enriching the community through arts instruction. The first program to result from our collaboration, High Notes – The Case for Music Education provides a lively overview of some of SDYS’ programs including their Community Opus Project, The SIMPHONY Study, and in-class activities in the Chula Vista Elementary School District as a representative sample.”

UCTV can be seen on cable and satellite systems throughout the region. It is available on Cox Digital -Channel 135, Time Warner Digital -Channel 1231, and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99. It is also available via DISH Network on Channel 9412. The program can also be seen anytime online on demand at http://www.uctv.tv/steam/. For a complete list of ways to watch UCTV, visit www.uctv.tv/wheretowatch.

UCTV makes the program available to other public non-commercial broadcasters throughout the country. If you are interested in broadcasting, High Notes, The Case for Music Education, please contact Anji Taylor at 619.233.3232 ext 190 or ataylor@sdys.org.

About SDYS

Established in 1946, The San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory (SDYS) is the 6th oldest continuously operating youth symphony in the United States, serving over 600 beginning through advanced and pre-professional students annually in 12 orchestras and ensembles. Performances at world-class venues including Jacobs Music Center’s Copley Symphony Hall and California Center for the Arts in Escondido provide opportunities for San Diegans to witness the talent and dedication found in our local young musicians as they hone their performance skills.

In addition to its conservatory programs based in Balboa Park, SDYS is a nationally recognized leader in music education advocacy. Driven by a vision of accessible and affordable music education for all, SDYS has been instrumental in the return of major arts and music education funding and programs to public schools throughout San Diego County. Through SDYS’ growing collaborations with parents, educators, researchers, and community partners, SDYS strives for an educational system in which every young person inspired by the art and rigor of making music embodies a future rich with hope, joy, and the rewards of personal achievement and community involvement.

About UCTV/STEAM

UC San Diego Extension and UCTV have partnered to launch The STEAM Channel in recognition of the growing demand for professionals who can balance science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning with the creativity and critical thinking taught in the arts. STEAM education is an essential pipeline to a skilled workforce, training the next generation of innovators for successful career pathways.
The STEAM Channel is live today, with the goal of bringing the focus back to the arts. It features content that demonstrates how art can be integrated into engineering or related careers by presenting the STEAM movement from four perspectives: Research, Policy, Education, and Industry.
For more information about the San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory and our programs, visit www.sdys.org.

San Diego Youth Symphony