The Sacramento Youth Symphony and Academy of Music has two string ensembles, both focusing on beginning and intermediate orchestral techniques along with specific string techniques. The entry-level strings group is called “Prelude Strings” and the intermediate strings group is called “Vivace Strings.” Both groups focus on skills that will help develop an overall foundation of musical understanding that will help those students to succeed with any music group in which they choose to participate. Our Assistant Conductors will team-teach this class.

The Prelude Strings Orchestra is an entry-level orchestra, involving students who have had little to no previous orchestral experience. As the requirement for entry is about a year of playing on an instrument, basic orchestral and string playing skills will be introduced, worked on, and developed. These skills include playing in a section, technique and sound basics (dynamics, bow use, articulation, tone rhythm, pitch, and fingerings), listening to other sections in the orchestra, and learning how to follow a director. The goal of teaching of these skills is to create a foundation of orchestral performance and understanding that the students will be able to carry into higher level orchestras.