Community Opus Project

Over the last decade music education programs have been drastically cut from schools in San Diego. This creates an immense gap between those who have access to music education and those who will have to see their musical aspirations unfulfilled. In response to this urgent growing need, and with guidance through our institutional vision, SDYS launched the Community Opus Project in 2010. Inspired by the success of the El Sistema movement in Venezuela, SDYS strongly believes music education will be a powerful vehicle for change in our own community.

Through the Community Opus Project we provide community based music programs for at-risk youth in San Diego County. The programs take place on school sites and community centers within those underserved communities and are completely free. Students receive new instruments to begin their musical journey as well as regular expert instruction and mentorship by our Artistic Faculty. SDYS knows there are numerous barriers to participation and has taken great care to eliminate those hurdles for all students, regardless of their families’ socio-economic status.

The Community Opus Project in Action

In the fall of 2010 SDYS officially began the first phase of this multi-year effort by launching pilot Opus sites at Otay and Lauderbach Elementary Schools in Chula Vista. Children at these schools had no access to music programs, and the majority of them come from low-income households where private music instruction is not an option.

At Opus Chula Vista 70 third graders are learning to play violins, cellos, and basses twice a week for two hours
Families and community members are learning alongside the students supporting their growth and musical development
Over 500 ticket vouchers have been distributed to Opus families to enjoy classical music performance by professional and youth symphony performers in San Diego County

Through collaboration with the schools, SDYS will track the social and academic achievements of those students who participate in the Community Opus Project, and compare that data against those students who are not participating. We are confident the results will show increased achievement by those participant students, as this has been proven in our outreach efforts leading up to this initiative. With substantial data SDYS’ action networks will be empowered to advocate for the restoration of music in schools so that our goal of making music education affordable and accessible for all is attainable!