Any orchestra student who wishes to seriously pursue music as a performance artist, teacher, or just as a passion must consider formal classes in music theory and ear training as fundamental requirements for college.
Seattle Conservatory of Music is a part of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras, although SCM students do not have to be part of SYSO to register.
Students ages 8 to 18 can enroll in the Seattle Conservatory’s outstanding academic programs such as music theory, ear training, history, and electives such as conducting, Dalcroze-Eurhythmics, keyboard harmony, and orchestration.
The capstone of the Conservatory’s programs is its Collegiate Performance Prep program. It prepares students for collegiate music school and orchestra auditions, as well as local, national, and international competitions. Weekly performance classes give students the opportunity to play and be evaluated by their peers. Classroom seminars are held in performance psychology, collegiate audition/application preparation, stage etiquette and demeanor. Students are given personalized coaching in the full range of the college application, audition and selection process.
The SYSO/Seattle Conservatory’s academic programs take place on Saturday afternoons at Seattle Pacific University.