Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich recently allocated $1,500 to the Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra (SCVYO), which will provide support for an instrumental education program for students as young as 8, regardless of their ability to pay.

“Since 1969, the Santa Clarita Valley Youth Orchestra has provided students the unique opportunity to study and perform the great masterpieces with professional musicians and instructors,” said Antonovich.  “Our investment in vital public/private partnerships that support arts education is improving the lives of young people in the Santa Clarita Valley and throughout Los Angeles County -- helping to prepare them for the future.”

The three-tiered orchestra that rehearses and performs at College of the Canyons is one of the few orchestral music programs available in the Los Angeles area. It allows students to study and perform masterpieces from all periods of the orchestral and chamber music repertoire.

“We’ve received continuing support from Supervisor Antonovich for several years now,” said Sally Angel, president of the orchestra’s foundation. “We very much appreciate his continuing support of the arts, especially music, in Santa Clarita.”

Research has shown how studying music and playing an instrument improves student performance in core academic classes. Aside from being an important part of our culture, music also increases the likelihood that students will stay in school, which is why Angel says Antonovich’s funding will go towards the orchestra’s outreach program.

“We want to reach those youngsters who played an instrument in elementary or junior high schools but then moved on to schools where music instruction isn’t always available and encourage them to join one of our ensembles,” said Angel.

For more information about the SCVYO, visit www.scvyo.org.

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