The youth Ensemble program is designed for students who want to play with a steady group and expand on their experience within a group interaction. This activity is open to students ages 8-18.

Elementary School Ensemble

We meet every week for a 60-minute session. Students are expected to have at least 1 year of experience on their instrument.

Middle/High School Ensemble

We meet every other week for a 90-minute session. Students are expected to have at least 2 years of experience on their instrument.

The overall goal is to create a safe environment for each member of the group to express him/herself and discover their unique voice.  During the year we play different styles ranging from Pop, Jazz, Latin, Rock & Roll, and Broadway show tunes.  In addition to learning to play in each style, the members of the ensemble are introduced to the basic fundamentals of playing within a group and the role of each instrument in it. The students may choose their favorite tunes, bring originals, and participate in arrangement decisions. We explore the theoretic parts of composition and arranging but the main focus is on playing!

There are two scheduled performance dates each year, one in each semester, as well as various community performance opportunities.

Each ensemble includes up to three horn/string players (Saxophone, clarinet, flute, trumpet, and trombone, violin, viola, cello), one or two keyboard players (piano & synthesizer), bass and drums. The maximum capacity of each ensemble is 7 members.