YOUTH
PROGRAMS
The Springfield Youth Orchestras and Youth Choir provides a comprehensive and enriching musical education experience for students in and around Clark County, Ohio. Established in 1959, the Springfield Youth Orchestra offers school age students ranging in elementary school through high school the opportunity to perform and learn in a variety of solo, chamber, and full ensemble settings.
ENSEMBLES
REHEARSALS & PERFORMANCES
All ensembles rehearse during the school year on Monday nights from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM at the John Legend Theater in downtown Springfield. There are two performances a year- one in the fall, and one in the spring.
TUITION
SYS | SYSE | SYCO Tuition – $275 per student
SYC Tuition – $200 per student
Family Discount! Siblings will receive ½ tuition.
FINANCIAL AID
Financial aid is available in the form of partial and full tuition waivers on a need-based basis. Families may apply for aid prior to the start of the season, and will receive decisions regarding their application for funding when rehearsals begin. Families may also arrange to pay tuition in the form of monthly payment plans.
SPRINGFIELD YOUTH SYMPHONY (SYS)
This ensemble is comprised of our top student musicians from over 25 different schools in our area. Since 1959, the Springfield Youth Symphony has provided one of the few opportunities in this area for young musicians to play in a full orchestral setting. Each season features several concerts and weekly rehearsals in the educational environment of the John Legend Theater.
SPRINGFIELD YOUTH CHAMBER
ORCHESTRA (SYCO)
Mrs. Hanna Lacey conducts the Springfield Youth Chamber Orchestra (SYCO), a group that is designed for students who have approximately two to three years experience studying their instrument. This ensemble focuses more on the skills that make a group of musicians sound good together and less on individual playing technique. Ideally, students in this group are preparing to move up into our Youth Symphony. SYCO rehearses at the John Legend Theater on Monday nights, from 7-9pm (just like the SYS!).
SPRINGFIELD YOUTH STRING
ENSEMBLE (SYSE)
Mrs. Lydia Stout conducts the Springfield Youth String Ensemble (SYSE), which is for beginner strings students who have at least one year of playing experience. SYSE provides a warm and friendly environment for our beginner string students to learn how to perform in a large ensemble setting. For many of our students, this is their first ensemble experience ever!
SYSE rehearses at the John Legend Theater on Monday nights, from 6-7:30pm.
SPRINGFIELD YOUTH CHOIR (SYC)
Established in 2012, the Springfield Youth Choir (previously Springfield Children's Chorus) is open to students in grades 5 through 10. In affiliation with the Springfield Youth Orchestra, the Springfield Youth Choir brings young singers together every Monday night for rehearsals at the John Legend Theatre in downtown Springfield. Under the direction of Mr. David Kravets, the goal of the Springfield Youth Choir is to unite students of all backgrounds in song by improving their vocal skills, developing a love of music, and building lasting friendships.
SPRINGFIELD CHILDREN'S
CHOIR (SCC)
The Springfield Children’s Chorus is open to students grades 3 and up, for those with unchanged voices. In affiliation with the Springfield Youth Orchestras and Youth Choir, the Springfield Children’s Chorus brings young singers together every Monday night for rehearsals at the John Legend Theater in downtown Springfield. Under the direction of Mrs. Katie Buetel, the goal of the Springfield Children’s Chorus is to unite students of all backgrounds in song by improving their vocal skills, developing a love of music, and building lasting friendships
Highlights of the Springfield Youth Symphony season include:
Sectional coachings by members of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra.
Select participation in our chamber music ensembles, known as LiveWire, which includes our Brass Quintet, Woodwind Quintet, String Quartet, Percussion Ensemble and others. These small ensembles are featured in numerous performances throughout the school year. Students are chosen by audition.
Chamber music opportunities with a Brass Ensemble and Woodwind Quintet, String Quartet and Percussion Ensemble. These small ensembles are featured in numerous performances throughout the school year. Students are chosen by audition.
Master class opportunities with SSO guest artists.
Project Protégé, a program in which select SYS musicians are invited to perform with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra during a subscription concert.
A Concerto Competition for SYS seniors. The winner performs a solo with the SYS in the spring semester.
Collaborative opportunities to enhance each student's participation in the arts. The Youth Orchestra program has participated in exciting collaborations with the National Trail Parks and Recreation District, The Gary Geis Dance Company, The Westcott House, Hatch Artist Studios, CoHatch, The Springfield Museum of Art and the Clark State Community College Theater Program.
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra is widely known for making beautiful music for the enjoyment of our community, but the Symphony does more than that! The SSO proudly supports numerous educational programs for our young people, making this a better community. Many of the young people we touch will be the concert audiences of tomorrow, but more importantly they will be better prepared to be productive citizens.
Music education can provide skills and capabilities that will help children be more successful in school and in life. Music education has been demonstrated to improve children’s test scores and math abilities. Participation in musical activities also helps young people learn to work together with other students toward a common goal. What a lesson for life!
Since 1950 the SSO has continually introduced new educational programs to improve the lives of our community’s children. In addition to presenting quality performances of live symphonic music, it is also the mission of the SSO to continue to provide educational programs to enrich the lives of adults and children in and around Clark County.
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra was a charter member of the Clark Community Cultural Consortium. Launched by the Arts Al!ve Partnership, the Clark Community Cultural Consortium (CCCC) was a group of Springfield and Clark County, Ohio community agencies and businesses that joined together to create, promote, and provide cultural programs for our community schools. The CCCC members presented lessons in classrooms, provided materials and workshops for teachers, offered large group experiences (assemblies and field trips), and created opportunities for students to visit their agency or business. The collaboration of CCCC members was an opportunity for local agencies and businesses to work together to strengthen our community educationally, economically and culturally.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Springfield Youth Orchestra and Children’s Chorus is also able to offer students other exciting opportunities throughout the year, such as:
Sectional coaching with members of the SSO
LiveWire – a chamber music society for advanced SYS players
Project Protégé – a program for nominated SYS players to perform alongside the SSO in subscription series concerts
Side-by-Side – experience performing as an ensemble right alongside the SSO
Prelude Performances – pre-concert music before SSO performances
Annual Concerto Competition for SYS seniors
College scholarship opportunities for SYS seniors through the John Smarelli Memorial Scholarship
Community collaboration and outreach opportunities
MUSIC AWARENESS PROGRAMS
PRE-CONCERT PRESENTATIONS
We offer insights into music and musicians with our “Opening Notes” 45 minutes prior to each subscription concert in the Turner Studio Theater of the Clark State Performing Arts Center. Pre-concert talks before MasterWorks and NightLights programs cover aspects of the music on the program, and are presented by annual favorites Trudy Faber, Maestro Peter Stafford Wilson, composers whose works are being performed, and others.
Sponsored by Barbara Matthies.
CONCERTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Every year, 1,500 area students attend an SSO concert at the Kuss Auditorium of the Clark State Performing Arts Center. The students are treated to an orchestral concert experience, the goal of which is to excite them about symphonic music, and perhaps inspire them to want to learn to play a musical instrument. Starting in 2016-2017, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra has joined almost 100 orchestras all over the world in offering Link Up, a program designed by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. Link Up is a program that integrates with music classrooms and brings students to the Kuss Auditorium ready to sing, dance, and play recorders along with the SSO from their seats.
Sponsored by the Ruth B. and Thomas F. Mackey Charitable Trust, Dennis and Margaret Roark, and Park National Bank.
STUDENTS AT THE SYMPHONY
This special program is made available through generous donations from Lawrence Landess and Mark Grimes. During each concert season, 20 students from Perrin Woods and Lincoln Elementary schools attend each concert with Music Teacher and Choir Director Sharon Safley. This program brings young people to the concert hall and enables them to broaden their appreciation of all types of music. Special activities include meeting guest artists and SSO musicians, and a backstage tour.
Sponsored by Mark Grimes and the Wilson Sheehan Foundation.
INSTRUMENT PETTINGS ZOOS
The SSO participates in numerous community events, featuring various performing groups and providing our much-sought-after “Instrument Petting Zoo,” which enables children (and adults too!) to try out different musical instruments with the assistance of SSO musicians. We have held petting zoos as a part of the Springfield Arts Council’s annual KidsFest, in conjunction with the Clark County Public Library, and more! These events offer potential young musicians the opportunity to feel what it is like to touch, hold, and play an instrument. No one is too young or too old to experience the joy of making a sound on a musical instrument!
Instruments for our Petting Zoos are generously provided by Kincaid’s Is Music.
Upcoming Events
Sat, Sep 28Sep 28, 2024, 7:30 PM – 10:00 PMClark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S Fountain Ave, Springfield, OH 45506, USA
Sun, May 04May 04, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PMClark County Public Library, 201 S Fountain Ave, Springfield, OH 45506, USA
Fri, Aug 23Aug 23, 2024, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PMSpringfield, 107 Cliff Park Rd, Springfield, OH 45504, USA
Fri, Aug 16Aug 16, 2024, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PMSpringfield Museum of Art, 107 Cliff Park Rd, Springfield, OH 45504, USA
