“Teaching at Starr King has been a unique experience. I was very happy to see it grow only after one year and I am so proud of the students' accomplishments. The frustrations with money, funding, occasional behavior issues and all the other usual aspects of an after school program are worth it when I realize just how quickly these students were able to learn all these new skills and how much it has enhanced their lives. I've seen an increase in self-esteem and improved attention spans. They've also acquired a new sense of discipline and respect. I think outreach is so important to the future of the fine arts and feel very fortunate to be a part of this program.”



The San Francisco Conservatory of Music's Conservatory in the Schools program is designed to provide intensive support for disadvantaged music programs in San Francisco schools. Our partnership provides arts education for students who lack exposure to classical music performance and training. During the 2004-2005 academic year more than 420 children were educated by 19 Conservatory collegiate student mentors in four public schools: Starr King Elementary School, Tenderloin Community Elementary School, Presidio Middle School and Denman Middle School.

Current programs include:

Mentoring
We provide Conservatory student coaches to work in classrooms under a master teacher for two-hour periods each week. Their coaching activities focus on instrumental and vocal instruction for 1st-5th grade students. In addition to benefiting disadvantaged children in San Francisco, the program provides classroom training for Conservatory students.

After school programs
We help partner schools with little or no music curricula develop after school instrumental and vocal programs. Our student coaches form meaningful individual relationships with participants in order to increase self-esteem, listening abilities and attention spans, as well as to increase students' exposure to classical music.

The Magic Flute
For the first year, following four years of the Hansel and Gretel production, Assistant Opera Director Heather Carolo and Opera Theatre students presented a production of Mozart's The Magic Flute to all school assemblies in partner schools, introducing children to opera.

“I learned that I can do anything in my life -- and I can learn new stuff.“

Partner Schools

Each partner school must meet the following criteria for inclusion in the program:

• The economic status of families whose children attend the school is low and moderate income level.
• The school is committed to providing high quality music education.
• The students willingly participate in program.
• School academic achievement is substandard.

The program is especially important in the current economic environment with state and federal budget cuts for school programs and with rising unemployment that deprives parents of the means to provide opportunities for their children. We strive to be a more active member of the community at large; to make our efforts work in tandem with other arts and volunteer organizations, to assure that music is an integral part of our Community's life, and to keep Community part of our musicians' lives.

Conservatory in the Schools is generously underwritten by the following: The Miranda Lux Foundation, The David B. Gold Foundation, The Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation, The Wells Fargo Foundation, the California Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Currently, revenue from California Arts License Plate sales funds the programs of the California Arts Council (CAC) including arts education efforts for school children. www.cac.ca.gov

For more information, please contact outreach@sfcm.edu