Youth Orchestras of San Antonio

G. Lewis Doll (1901–1985) established the first string program in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) in the 1940s. At this time, no other public school district in San Antonio offered string instruction. As the SAISD string program grew, Doll started the San Antonio Youth Symphony around 1950. A second orchestra for junior high school students was formed in the 1960s and both orchestras operated under the auspices of the SAISD until 1979.

The San Antonio Youth Symphony began receiving grant money from the City of San Antonio, Texas in 1974 and became known as the Greater San Antonio Youth Symphony Orchestras (GSAYSO). At this time, only four of the 19 area school districts offered string music programs. The GSAYSO opened string learning centers in some of the districts that were without a strings program. When this strings learning center program ceased in 1979, only the Northside Independent School District was able to sponsor its own string program.

The Youth Philharmonic Orchestras of San Antonio was formed in 1977 and operated independently of GSAYSO until they merged in March 1979. The name Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA) was formally adopted in the summer of 1979.

Maintaining four orchestras for the first few years of its existence proved to be impractical for the young YOSA organization. In 1981, the orchestras were reduced to two even though the demand by talented student musicians continued to grow. During the 1982-83 season, the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department provided YOSA with office space, a secretary, and other assistance which stabilized YOSA’s financial picture and attracted more private and business support.

The decade from 1984 to 1994 saw steady growth in both student membership and services provided by YOSA. A strong coaching staff was added to the program, enhancing the quality of the students' musicianship. A landmark event in YOSA history came in 1985 with the addition of a tour of Eastern Europe with performances in Romania, Hungary, and Austria. The tour was sponsored by the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Dept. and KMOL, a local television station, and made under the auspices of the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation (a non-profit organization specializing in cultural and educational exchanges). Publicity about the tour resulted in another sharp increase in YOSA membership.

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