SDSU and SD Symphony Partner for SDSU LIVE DOWNTOWN

In April 2016, the SDSU School of Music and Dance produced the largest off-campus, non-athletic event in SDSU history. Over 250 music students played to a sold-out audience in Jacobs Music Center at Copley Symphony Hall, raising $40,000 for music education scholarships.

Now, SDSU partners with the San Diego Symphony to take the stage once again! SDSU Live Downtown is a mega-concert unlike any other in San Diego's musical offerings.

SDSU's top orchestral, wind, and dance ensembles join forces with a 120-voice choir, the commanding Marching Aztecs, SDSU Musical Theatre, and the acclaimed Great Wall Quartet for a captivating performance at Jacobs Music Center on Sunday, April 8, 2018, 3:00 p.m. Tickets available at sandiegosymphony.org.

Program highlights include Respighi's Pines of Rome, Maslanka's In Memoriam, Bonney's Threnody featuring original choreography by SDSU Dance, The Great Wall Quartet performing Spohr's Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra, "Make our Garden Grow" from Bernstein's Candide integrating SDSU's renowned MFA Musical Theatre program, and Bernstein's Chichester Psalms in San Diego's only concert performance during the Leonard Bernstein Centenary Celebration.

SDSU Live Downtown is an opportunity for SDSU ensembles to perform in an elegant venue backed by the San Diego Symphony's professional house and stage crews. "When I visited Copley Symphony Hall for the first time as a college freshman, I never imagined that I would be able to perform on that stage," says Janie Hsiao, violinist and junior Music Performance major. "SDSU gave me the opportunity to do just that in 2016, and now, two years later, I'm beyond excited to be able to perform on that stage again. Not only is our sound in the hall magnificent, but the concert allows the School of Music and Dance to announce to the city how much talent we have. Our sports teams are awesome (Go Aztecs!), but music is also important to everyone's lives. I'm very lucky to have this experience.

Proceeds from SDSU Live Downtown will support the San Diego Symphony/SDSU Fund for students studying Music Education at SDSU. SDSU educates nearly 65% of all the music teachers in San Diego County. Together they impact more than 10,000 K - 12 students each year.

"With regional schools offering arts curriculum once again, music educators are in high demand," said Dr. Joyce Gattas, Dean of the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts. "At SDSU we are in a race to prepare future music teachers to meet the growing demand. Providing scholarship support for music education majors will help to meet the workforce needs of San Diego schools."

For more information visit the SDSU School of Music and website, Facebook page, or Twitter, or call 619-594-1017.