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.

Winter/Spring Rehearsals: Tuesdays, 5:30pm - 6:45pm beginning September 6.

Concerts: 
Winter Concert - Sunday, January 11 at 3pm
Spring Concert - Sunday, May 3 at 1pm

VIDEO AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

• Video auditions are accepted on a rolling basis.
• Prepare and submit scales, a brief unaccompanied solo passage of your choice, and the appropriate excerpt for your instrument.
• 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

PLEASE NOTE:

• All SYO members participate in their school orchestra or band programs where available.
• Orchestra placement is at the discretion of the directors.

OPEN REHEARSALS

SYSS is holding open rehearsals on Tuesday 1/6 and Tuesday 1/13. RSVP Here.

SYSS Tuition for 2025-26 Season
$450

• Tuition includes a $25 family donation to the Prairie Center Arts Foundation. 
• Installment plans, Financial Assistance, and Scholarships available.
• 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.
• Each member receives an SYO t-shirt.