Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program
MISSION:
The Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program provides students with a high quality music education, instills an emotional connection and lifelong passion for music, fosters a diverse community of musicians, and offers outstanding symphonic performance opportunities for students to share their musical gifts with the community.
VISION:
- Instill life-long values of responsibility, accountability, teamwork, problem solving, creativity and cultural appreciation in students from all economic and social backgrounds
- Develop the next generation of professionals and community leaders through achieving excellence in the study and performance of symphonic music
- Support music education in the Albuquerque area through collaboration with local music educators, school music programs and arts organizations
- Strengthen the foundation of our community by enriching the quality of life and adding to the vibrancy of our diverse culture in New Mexico
The Albuquerque Youth Symphony Program has been growing musicians since 1955. Our student population is economically and ethnically diverse and over 500 students enroll in grades 4-12 from over 90 public-, private-, and home schools across the four-county area. AYSP offers financial aid to cover up to 90% of the cost of participation for more than 20% of students in the program each season.
We provide symphonic music education through the participation of 8 ensembles. (1 elementary ensemble, 4 middle school ensembles and 3 high school ensembles.) String, woodwind, brass, and percussion students are placed in the appropriate ensemble based on their annual audition in May. Their musical skills are developed and honed during weekly rehearsals from August through April. These rehearsals take place at our facility under the direction of our 10 experienced conductors.
Each ensemble performs several concerts each season, including our Finale Concert Series in New Mexico’s premier performing arts center, Popejoy Hall. AYSP believes it is important to instill philanthropic desire in our students as we enable them to share their musical gifts with the community. Recent outreach concerts include collaborations with Albuquerque Public Schools, Rio Rancho Public Schools, New Mexico Pueblo Schools, Joy Junction and Youth Development, Inc. (YDI).
1955
Dr. Bea Strong
85-0421180