May 14, 2020 submitted by SSC (photos courtesy of SSC)
On Friday, May 15, South Shore Conservatory (SSC) celebrates 50 years since it incorporated as a community school for the arts. The public is invited to join in the virtual festivities, as they share memories and music on social media and sscmusic.org.
Before 1970, the entity had served as a New England Conservatory (NEC) satellite preparatory program. When NEC announced it was closing the campus, parents, interested in enriching their children’s lives with the gift of music, decided they would focus on starting a community music school where students of all levels could find quality lessons and performance opportunities.
Since its founding 50 years ago, SSC has blossomed into the largest community school for the arts in New England, embracing all the performing arts, and has established campuses in Hingham, Duxbury, and Hanover. Providing access has always been a critical component of its mission statement. Performance is an important part of a complete arts education and is critical to SSC’s success in fulfilling its mission.
Today more than 4,500 students participate in a continuum of over 50 programs including individual lessons in most instruments and voice, an arts-principled preschool, pre-k and kindergarten program, performance workshops, monthly recital and concert opportunities, and a variety of performing opportunities including chamber music, jazz, rock, wind, choral and percussion ensembles and the SSC Youth Orchestra, the only symphonic youth orchestra on the South Shore.
Over the past few years SSC’s Jazz/Rock/Pop department has been its fastest growing department, with jam-packed programs such as Rock Band, Open Mic and Monster Jam. SSC’s Dance Department offers leveled ballet classes, using American Ballet Theatre’s training curriculum, plus hip hop and contemporary dance.
Through innovative partnerships with schools, social services and community agencies throughout the South Shore, SSC brings music and the arts out to the community to enrich the lives of residents. Its ImagineARTS program partners with Brockton Public Schools to strengthen pre-literacy skills among its kindergarten students.
Through its Creative Arts Therapies, SSC offers the benefits of music and the arts to people with developmental and emotional challenges. Such programs include a Parkinson’s Chorus and Memory Cafes at two locations.
To celebrate their huge milestone, South Shore Conservatory invites the public to share their memories of taking lessons, attending summer camp, or perhaps enjoying an Evenings Under the Stars concert, on their Facebook and Instagram pages. They also invite the public to visit SSC Online at www.sscmusic.org/ssc-onlineto enjoy complimentary programs and performances, or search #sscstillmakingmusic on social media. In addition, SSC is doing a 10-day giving challenge, from May 5 through May 15, with a goal of raising $50,000 in honor of the 50thanniversary.
To learn more about South Shore Conservatory, visit sscmusic.org
About South Shore Conservatory
Celebrating 50 years in 2020, South Shore Conservatory (SSC) is committed to providing access to music and the arts for South Shore residents. Recognized as a national model for arts education by the National Guild for Community Arts Education, SSC is the largest, nonprofit community school for the arts in Massachusetts, serving more than 4,500 students of all ages at two beautiful campuses in Duxbury and Hingham, and a new satellite location at Laura’s Center for the Arts in Hanover. Students participate in more than 50 diverse programs in music, dance and drama. With more than 100 exceptional musicians on faculty, SSC offers over 200 professionally produced concerts and performances annually. Through innovative partnerships with schools, social services and community agencies throughout the South Shore, SSC brings music and the arts out to the community to enrich the lives of residents. Through its Creative Arts Therapies, SSC offers the benefits of music and the arts to people with developmental and emotional challenges. For more information, visit https://sscmusic.org/.
In keeping with SSC’s inclusive mission to provide access to quality education in the arts for all, the Conservatory offers programs for all segments of the population to enjoy, regardless of age, ability, geography, and financial means. Furthermore, South Shore Conservatory admits students and families of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.