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.
Questions? Please contact a member of the Conservatory team at 619-233-3232 x 4 or email at support@sdys.org.