The mission of the Endangered Instruments Program is to recruit students and teachers, obtain instruments, subsidize private lessons, and encourage existing school band programs to teach "selected neglected" instruments.

Existing band programs do not use the wide variety of instruments that an orchestra needs. The EIP goal is to acquire instruments through donation or purchases, supply interested students with the instruments, and encourage students to switch to or add the selected "neglected" instruments listed below. To be eligible, a students must enroll in a String Orchestra, a Jazz Ensemble, or the Youth Symphony Orchestra. Exceptions are made for beginning bass students. Students may apply for scholarships to subsidize their private lessons and tuition in an appropriate ensemble for the new instrument.

The SFYSA has provided violas for both YSO and SO students for several years, and is now expanding to other instruments. If you have an instrument that is not in use in your home, please consider donating it to the SFYSA. All instruments will be utilized, and the donation is tax-deductible.

The "Endangered Instruments" available for this season include bassoon, french horn, trumpet, trombone, bass trombone, viola, and string bass. Members of all Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association ensembles may apply for the program with the recommendation of their private teacher and the conductor of their ensemble. These instruments are available on a first-come, first-serve basis to qualified applicants.

Those students who participated in the EIP last season must re-apply for their endangered instrument and financial aid each season. EIP applications are available on the DOWNLOADS page.