Community Service Program

*Community Youth Orchestra of Southern California is currently working to integrate our CSP program into our online programs. Stay tuned for more information. Interested students can still apply below.

Community Youth Orchestra of Southern California is pleased to offer a Community Service Program (CSP) for high school students in grades 9 through 12 who wish to develop skills in arts management and music education, serving as operational assistants to the staff as well as mentors for younger students in our Academy. Returning CSP volunteers with an interest in teaching may even have the opportunity to help plan or lead a community enrichment class. From time to time, we engage our entire CSP time in outreach to serve young musicians in disadvantaged programs that CYOSC partners to support. There is no fee to participate in CSP.

Mentoring Opportunities 

We are looking for students to fill the following positions:

1. Violin students to mentor the younger students in our Online Academy (violin ensemble) program. Mentors may each be assigned a specific student to work with, or may be asked to partner with other mentors to work with students in Zoom breakout rooms. Students in our Academy program are 4th grade and below, as young as Kindergarten. Online Academy rehearses on Friday nights from 5:00pm-5:45pm.
2. Viola and cello students to mentor the younger students, or to provide examples of how parts should be played, in our Sinfonia group. Advanced violin students may also apply to work with this older age group. Students in this group are mostly 5th grade to 9th grade. Volunteers must have had orchestra experience in the past, and current members of CYOSC will be prioritized in the selection process. The Intermediate group rehearses on Friday nights from 6:00pm-6:45pm. (Sinfonietta and Sinfonia will be combined)
3. Advanced woodwind and brass students to mentor younger players in the Symphony. Students in this group average from 7th-11th grade. Volunteers must be proficiency with their primary instruments (All-Southern/All-State level), have previous orchestral experience, and will require an audition / interview with the staff. The Symphony rehearses on Friday nights from 7:00pm-7:45pm.
4. Volunteers to work with our online teachers in providing content in other enrichment courses (for example, helping to create musical storytime classes, play-ins, musical bingo or kahoot quizzes, etc.) If you see a course description designed for younger students and you'd like to volunteer to mentor or help in that course, please let us know!

Apply Now

Teaching Opportunities

In addition to our core opportunities for mentoring young music students in CYOSC ensembles, we're proud to announce the expansion of our CSP program this year with enrichment classes led by returning CSP volunteers in Fall 2020!

Current CSP-led classes in the works include monthly Suzuki play-ins, based on our popular summer play-ins, and Musical Storytime, offered by two of our most experienced and dedicated CSP volunteers. These classes will be open to the community with free registration.

What a privilege to work with enthusiastic, returning CSP volunteers, who are stepping up to plan and lead these classes for our younger students and our community! The planning and teaching process includes the side-by-side support and guidance of dedicated teaching professionals on our CYOSC staff.

Our CSP coordinators are looking to identify more CSP candidates interested in helping us offer an an even wider variety of CSP-led classes in the future. Candidates are chosen by our staff based on past reliability/dedication to show up, willingness to learn & grow as musicians and community leaders, and the desire to be more involved in CYOSC programs.