YOSA History

YOUTH ORCHESTRAS OF SAN ANTONIO

The San Antonio youth orchestra program began in the 1940s in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) under the leadership of G. Lewis Doll (1901-1985). SAISD was the first school district to offer string instruction in its schools. By 1950, Mr. Doll included students across the district in a youth orchestra. By 1957, the youth orchestra included musicians from schools outside SAISD.

In the early 1960s, a second orchestra, the Junior Youth Symphony, was created for junior high school age students. A city grant in 1974 enabled the orchestra program to become an independent entity called the Greater San Antonio Youth Symphony Orchestras (GSAYSO). With federal money granted through the Federal Revenue Sharing Contract, GSAYSO opened beginning string education centers in underserved areas around San Antonio in addition to the orchestra program.

In 1977, a second youth orchestra organization, the Youth Philharmonic Orchestras, was created and changed as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. By 1979, the two orchestra organizations combined in a new entity, the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio.

After consolidation, YOSA consisted of two full orchestras, providing coaching to students from the professional music community, especially from the San Antonio Symphony. In 1979, Harvey Biskin, the Education Director of the San Antonio Symphony, initiated a 'side-by-side' concert with YOSA and the San Antonio Symphony. YOSA continues to benefit from 'side-by-side' concert opportunities with the San Antonio Symphony.

YOSA began its relationship with the City of San Antonio in 1983, through the Parks and Recreation Department. At that time, the city government provided much-needed office space in Brackenridge Park and other help to bolster YOSA's mission. The City continues to be a valued partner in supporting YOSA.

In 1985, YOSA undertook its first international performance tour to Austria and Hungary. The tour helped generate increased student enrollment. This tour was followed by trips to Poland, Austria, and Hungary in 1989, Germany in 1995, Australia in 1998, France in 2001, Spain in 2004, and Finland, Estonia, and Russia (St. Petersburg) in 2007.

YOSA inaugurated a Chamber Music orchestra in 1986. Today it is a volunteer orchestra with members from the YOSA Philharmonic. It performs one annual concert with a limited rehearsal schedule. Musicians from the San Antonio Symphony join the orchestra in a 'side-by-side' concert.

With the continued expansion of its programs, YOSA outgrew its office in Brackenridge Park. In 2005, YOSA relocated its office to the Radius Building in downtown San Antonio. This move has provided greater visibility and opportunities to collaborate with the non-profit organizations that share the office spaces in the Radius Building.

Today, YOSA consists of five orchestras. Four are training orchestras leading to the fifth and most advanced orchestra, the Philharmonic. In ascending order of difficulty are three string orchestras: Prelude (established in 2005), Capriccio, and Sinfonietta. The fourth orchestra, the Symphony, is a full orchestra with brass, woodwinds, and percussion. The Philharmonic performs the repertoire of professional orchestras. Philharmonic performances here included a joint concert with the Orquesta Sinfonica Infantil de Mexico in 2004 and a semi-staged version of La Boheme in 2006.

Four of the YOSA orchestras rehearse Sunday afternoons at the University of Texas at San Antonio's north campus. The fifth orchestra, Prelude, rehearses on Monday nights at the Radius Building. All groups perform in public concerts at varied locations throughout San Antonio.

YOSA provides a beginning and intermediate string education program for students interested in learning violin, viola, cello, and double bass at the Good Samaritan Center. In addition, YOSA conducts a three-week summer string camp for over 200 students on the campus of St. Mary's Hall.

Over 450 talented and dedicated young musicians participate in YOSA's programs, ranging in age from 8 to 21. YOSA students come from over 100 different schools in the metropolitan area and surrounding counties. While 90% of YOSA members are from Bexar County, students seeking a quality orchestral experience travel from as far away as Del Rio and Uvalde to participate in YOSA. YOSA reflects the unique multicultural makeup of the South Texas region.

We appreciate the contributions of Dr. Eugene Dowdy to this account of YOSA's history. He is the author of A History of the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio from 1977 to 1994. This essay was written as part of the requirements for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Iowa.