Schaumburg Youth Sinfonia Strings
Mark Hamada, Director

The SYSS is an advanced string orchestra, performing music literature from a wide variety of styles and composers. Qualifying students need to be comfortable playing in most key signatures, have a good understanding of rhythmic patterns, produce a quality tone with a developing vibrato, and be able to play musically and expressively. Violinists should be able to play comfortably in third position with an understanding of second, fourth, and fifth positions. Violists should be able to play in third position. Cellists must be able to play comfortably in first through fourth positions. Bassists should be able to play comfortably in first through third positions. Emphasis is placed on learning to play musically and expressively as an orchestra while advancing sightreading skills.

Rehearsals: Tuesdays, 5:30pm - 6:45pm beginning Sept. 10

Concerts: 
Winter Concert - Sunday, February 9 at 3pm
Spring Concert - Sunday, May 4 at 3pm

Auditions and Registration NOW OPEN

Audition for Sinfonia Strings is held via online video submission and will continue through the beginning of the 2024-25 season (in September).

New students and SYSE members wishing to advance to SYSS must submit an online audition.

Current SYSS members planning on staying in SYSS only need to register for 2024-25 (no audition is necessary).

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

  • Prepare a brief unaccompanied solo passage of your choice.
  • Scales.
    • Violin, Viola, Cello: play two of the following two-octave major scales: C, G, D, A, F.  B-flat
    • Bass: submit a one-octave scale of one of the following : C, G, D, A, F or B-flat

  • Prepared Excerpts

    • Violin  1) Momentum m. 84-93 2) Fiddle Fury m. 9-21
    • Viola   1) Momentum m. 20-31 2) Fiddle Fury m. 54-end
    • Cello   1) Momentum m. 20-28 2) Momentum m. 84-102
    • Bass   1) Fiddle Fury m. 5-13 2) Fiddle Fury m. 84-96

Register and Audition Online.

PLEASE NOTE:

  •  Auditions will be reviewed early August with notifications to follow.
  • All SYO members participate in their school orchestra or band programs where available.
  • Orchestra placement is at the discretion of the directors.


SYSS Tuition for the 2024-25 Season
$450

  • Installment plans, Financial Assistance, and Scholarships available.
  • All members receive a Schaumburg Youth Orchestra T-Shirt.
  • Tuition includes a $25 family contribution to the Prairie Center Arts Foundation. 
  • Families with more than one child enrolled in the program receive a $25 discount for each additional child after one child is paid in full.