San Diego Symphony and Classics for Kids Form New TEMPO Alliance
Sep 6th, 2007

Initiative to Increase Arts Education for San Diego Students

SAN DIEGO—Classics for Kids and the San Diego Symphony announced today that they have formed TEMPO Alliance to further arts education in San Diego County. TEMPO is an acronym for Transforming Education through Music Performances and Outreach. Its purpose is to develop and cultivate the next generation of audiences while instilling a greater appreciation of classical music and creating an arts curriculum that significantly contributes to a more well-rounded education.

'Our goal is to collectively reach 60,000 children through engaging, grade-specific, school-day concerts, share an institutional focus on quality educational programs, work together to have a greater impact on the San Diego community and increase awareness of the importance of music education in children’s lives,” states Marion Sciré, executive director of Classics for Kids.

San Diego Symphony will focus on reaching upper elementary and middle school students (fourth through eighth grades) with a special concert for fourth graders. “The Symphony and Classics for Kids have been committed for years to integrating arts education and introducing children throughout the county to classical music,” comments Edward B. “Ward” Gill, executive director of the San Diego Symphony. “Through this initiative we are working to bolster our efforts even further.”

Currently, the San Diego Symphony reaches approximately 30,000 students, families and adults through its Young People’s Concerts, Family Festival Series and various outreach programs such as Meet the Musician and ensemble performances.

Classics for Kids, a non-profit educational organization founded in 1994 to give children an age-appropriate concert experience, will focus on lower elementary grades, kindergarten through fourth grade. Classics for Kids’ resident orchestra, The Classics Philharmonic, conducted by music director Dana Mambourg Zimbric, will perform 38 concerts for students and three concerts for families this school year,” states Sciré. “Our Mini Maestro program--part of our ABCs of Musical Literacy concert series--has seen test scores rise for at-risk students. We educate the teachers about how to integrate the arts into their curriculum, and the children then learn about the music before each concert and reflect upon their experiences afterward,” she adds.

Both organizations will refer teachers to grade-specific concerts ensuring that students are guided to those programs specific for their target age range. Built on communication, integrity and community service, TEMPO Alliance will provide educators with consistent, easy-to-use and relevant lesson plans combined with a well-planned curriculum, quality docents, educational compact discs (provided by the Advocates for Classical Music) and engaging professional development opportunities.

Adrienne Valencia, San Diego Symphony’s director of education and outreach states, “The Symphony is increasing its commitment to educating our young people. It is our vision to reach all segments of San Diego through meaningful programs that serve the needs of the community.”

For further information or to learn more about TEMPO Alliance and other available programs, public, private and home school educators may contact Marion Sciré at Classics for Kids at 619.291.3111 or mscire@classics4kids.com; or Adrienne Valencia at 619.615.3911 or avalencia@sandiegosymphony.org.