Virtual Orchestra

Virtual Orchestra Program

For fall of 2020, SYSO is going virtual! This September-December SYSO offered a Virtual Orchestra Program with multiple levels of ensembles. After careful consideration of the public health situation and of the administrative and artistic workload necessary to produce a high-quality music experience, SYSO has adjusted the term schedule for the remainder of the season.

The new term schedule will be 9 weeks with a 2-week break between terms. See the schedule below.

SYSO will continue to closely monitor the public health situation and follow the guidance of state and county health and school officials to determine when it is possible to resume in-person activities. Until that time, SYSO’s Virtual Orchestra Program is a great way to keep connected with learning and playing music, even when we can’t be physically together.

There are even new benefits to a Virtual Orchestra Program that we will strive to make the most of. Read below for the Program Goals & Benefits as well as the Format, Schedule, and Tuition.

To apply to the Virtual Orchestra Program please visit our auditions page.

	Virtual Rehearsals	Virtual Concerts
Term 1	9/19/20 - 10/31/20	12/20/20
Term 2	11/7/20 - 12/19/20	3/7/21
Term 3	1/9/21 - 3/6/21	6/6/21
Term 4	3/27/21 - 5/22/21	TBD

Program Goals & Benefits

Orchestral-focused curriculum to continue to prepare orchestral repertoire with an opportunity to delve further into the history and the context of the music
More individualized attention from SYSO coaches with a commitment to a low coach-to-student ratio

Music Director Juan Felipe Molano teaching & leading ALL virtual orchestras
Access to latest technology to enhance the sectional rehearsal experience.
Mentorship opportunities for older students to support young string students
Virtual collaborations with other youth symphonies
Collaborative video as a performance product to share with friends and family
A great way to stay engaged in the SYSO community!

Virtual Orchestra Ensembles

Students who have been placed into one of the Academic Year Orchestra (AYO) Ensembles for 2020-2021 are automatically eligible for one of three Virtual Orchestra groups. See the chart below. No additional audition is necessary and AYO students cannot re-audition to be placed into a higher Virtual Orchestra level. Space is available for all AYO students to participate, there are no caps on enrollment.

All Virtual Orchestra ensembles will meet on Zoom. In order to keep our Zoom meetings secure and to ensure students’ safety while using Zoom, SYSO will follow Zoom’s Best Practices for Virtual Classrooms.

Virtual Orchestra 2020	Academic Year Orchestra
Young String Virtual Orchestra (YSVO)	Prelude String Orchestra
Intermediate Virtual Orchestra (IVO)	Symphonette Orchestra Debut Symphony Orchestra
Advanced Virtual Orchestra (AVO)	Junior Symphony Orchestra Youth Symphony Orchestra

Starting in Term 2 (November 7 – October 31), students who are not currently placed into an Academic Year Orchestra ensemble will be invited to submit an video audition for placement into the Virtual Orchestra Program.

Schedule

Young String Virtual Orchestra (YSVO)
Saturday 9:00am - 10:05am	Full orchestra teaching with Maestro Bryan Kolk (10 min) Sectionals with coaches (55 min)
Wednesday – Two Sessions 4:30-5:00 p.m. and 5:00-5:30 p.m.	Practice time with AVO Mentor (30 min)

Intermediate Virtual Orchestra (IVO)
Saturday 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.	Full orchestra teaching with Maestro Molano (15 min) Sectionals with coaches (55 min) Break (5 min) Full orchestra teaching with Maestro Molano (15 min)

Advanced Virtual Orchestra (AVO)
Saturday 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.	Full orchestra teaching with Maestro Molano (15 min) Sectionals with coaches (55 min) Break (5 min) Full orchestra teaching with Maestro Molano, sometimes a guest (15 min)

Tuition & Financial Aid

Academic Year Orchestra students will receive an email inviting them to register for the Virtual Orchestra Program. Accept the invitation and pay by term. Unfortunately, it is not possible to pay for multiple terms at one time.

Tuition for Term 3 is $390 for the 9-week session.

If your student has been placed into an Academic Year Orchestra Program and has not yet received an invitation to enroll in the Virtual Orchestra Program, please email info@syso.org.

Tuition is per term, the same for all orchestras. Financial aid is available: learn more and download the application.

Learn More

On August 26, we held a Virtual Town Hall introducing the new Virtual Orchestra Program, as well as addressing other programs and topics. You can view the information shared at that event:

FAQ Sheet | Town Hall PowerPoint