Why Join SDYS?

Through training at SDYS, here’s what you’ll learn and receive…

Development of Skills for Musical/Artistic Growth

• Consistent technical, musical, and artistic training through sequential ensemble learning
• Exposure to diverse orchestral and wind ensemble repertoire through pedagogical curriculum in weekly rehearsals, annual concert, and audition cycles
• Annually recurring experiences of preparing for a concert: from the initial exposure to a new musical work, learning through the individual and collective, practicing the musical piece, defining a collective voice and taking ownership of the musical work, to performing it as a culmination of the preparation process
• “Project/product-based learning”: learning to strategically break down the necessary tactics to achieve the long-term goal of a polished final performance

Growth in Social/Emotional Development

• A safe environment to experience emotional sensitivity and awareness of self and others through music-making and empathy
• Exposure to a diverse range of music that evokes a spectrum of emotions, which helps students to learn how to regulate emotions through the changing learning environment
• Growth in social skills and competence through ensemble learning: the ability to get along with peers in the ensemble in order to achieve a common goal
• Growth in attention span and greater brain processing powers

Time and Space for Building Relationships to Community

• A sense of community among students and faculty
• Performance opportunities in the community
• A space for shared experience and engagement during rehearsals and concerts with families and visitors
• Increased communication skills and the ability to express oneself through a collective voice

Character and Leadership Development

• Character building, leadership development, collective responsibility, individual achievement and accountability, the celebration of others, working in a diverse culture, member of a team
• Human and societal principles that become a guideline in life during and beyond SDYS
• Individual achievement versus responsibility/accountability to the community
• Opportunities to fine-tune public speaking skills through student introductions at concerts and other events
• Leadership role opportunities such as section leaders and principal positions within the ensemble
• Skills to demonstrate collective role models, demonstrating positive behaviors for those around you
• Increased individual and collective confidence through concerts and competitions
• Opportunities to learn how to balance priorities between self and the commitment to ensemble/community

To learn more about how the arts impact education and development, visit ArtsEdSearch: https://www.artsedsearch.org.