The Youth Orchestras of San Antonio

Information for this brief history was referenced from "A History of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio from 1977 to 1994," written by Eugene Brown Dowdy, May 1995.

A history of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (founded in May 1977) requires an explanation of youth music activities in San Antonio, Texas before 1977. G. Lewis Doll (1901-1985) established the first string program in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) in the 1940’s. At this time, no other public school district in San Antonio offered string instruction. As the SAISD string program grew, Mr. Doll started the San Antonio Youth Symphony around 1950. A second orchestra for junior high school students was formed in the 1960’s and both orchestras operated under the auspices of the SAISD until 1979.

The San Antonio Youth Symphony began receiving grant money from the city in 1974 and became known as the Greater San Antonio Youth Symphony Orchestras (GSAYSO). At this time, only four of the 19 area school districts offered string music programs. The GSAYSO opened string learning centers in some of the districts that were without a strings program. When this strings learning center program ceased in 1979, only the Northside Independent School District was able to sponsor its own string program.

The Youth Philharmonic Orchestras of San Antonio was formed in 1977 and operated independently of GSAYSO until they merged in March 1979. The name Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA) was formally adopted in the summer of 1979.

Maintaining four orchestras for the first few years of its existence proved to be impractical for the young YOSA organization. In 1981, the orchestras were reduced to two even though the demand by talented student musicians continued to grow. During the 1982-83 season, the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department provided YOSA with office space, a secretary, and other assistance which stabilized YOSA’s financial picture and attracted more private and business support.

The decade from 1984 to 1994 saw steady growth in both student membership and services provided by YOSA. A strong coaching staff was added to the program, enhancing the quality of the students' musicianship. A landmark event in YOSA history came in 1985 with the addition of a tour of eastern Europe with performances in Romania, Hungary, and Austria. This international tour was sponsored by the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Dept. and KMOL, a local television station, and made under the auspices of the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation (a non-profit organization specializing in cultural and educational exchanges). Publicity about the tour resulted in another sharp increase in YOSA membership.

As a result of the fundraising efforts for the international tour, the parents’ support group was formalized to the Parents’ Auxiliary Organization and continues to be the main vehicle for raising money for student’s individual tour accounts. To date, most of the money raised by the Parents' Auxiliary Organization continues to be used to support touring fees on behalf of the student musicians.

Local YOSA performances have included a wide variety of community events, including the City of San Antonio’s Christmas tree-lighting ceremonies and the opening concert of the Founders’ Day celebration. Regional exchanges and tours to cities such as Ft. Worth, Houston and Corpus Christi have also been included in season schedules. The Summer String Camp has been conducted by YOSA annually since 1986 and now includes classes in theory, composition, and conducting. In the 2005-2006 Season, the YOSA Philharmonic orchestra launched their Gold Series with international guest artists accompanying our top orchestra.

As we begin our 2006-2007 Season, we look forward to celebrating our 30th Anniversary! YOSA continues to grow in membership and opportunities provided to student musicians that will last a lifetime. As we embrace our history with pride, YOSA continues to look to the future with excitement and bigger dreams.

The mission of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio is to cultivate musical talent, help our students build foundations for life through learning the discipline, cooperation and leadership required of orchestral music making, and enrich the cultural life of our community through performances. www.yosa.org