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For young musicians, choosing a college can mean thinking about more than grades and admissions. They also have to consider where they can continue to grow as musicians.
The Youth Orchestras of San Antonio is sponsoring the YOSA Music College Fair and brings students together with representatives from colleges and music programs to explore their options and think about what comes next.
Being part of YOSA is already a big deal, according to Jerrod Price.
“YOSA is Texas's largest youth orchestra program. We serve over 600 kids in our season-long program,” Price said. “We have 11 different ensembles, six-string orchestras, two full orchestras, a wind ensemble, mariachi group, and a full choir.”
With so many middle and high school musicians in the program, many are already thinking about their future and where music might fit into it.
YOSA trains students to be the best musicians they can be and has been training young people in music for decades.
Price said that they don’t expect all the students to become professional musicians.
“About two thirds of our students do go on to study in other fields,” Price said. "A vast majority in STEM (the fields of science, technology, engineering and math), but we do have about a third of our students that will go on and study music in college.”
And so, for that one-third, YOSA created an event for college representatives from across the nation to speak directly with prospective students.
A YOSA marketing phrase says they "change lives through music," and Price pointed out that the possibilities of change will be quite tangible on Monday when they hold their Music College Fair.
“The Music College Fair is an opportunity for aspiring musicians, essentially, students who are looking to study music education, music performance, music therapy, any sort of music or college study,” Price said.
Representatives of colleges will attend to scope out the students who are seriously looking at a career in music.
“It's an opportunity to talk to both the local universities and colleges that offer those majors, but also some of the most elite conservatories — and some of the best and largest — and all will converge here in San Antonio to give our students an opportunity,” he said.
The Music Fair is Monday from 6:30 to 8:30 at TriPoint, on N. St. Mary’s St. at Highway 281.
