South Shore Conservatory’s Bay Youth Symphony Bids Fond Farewell to Managing Director Candace Kniffen

For the first time since its inception in 2007, South Shore Conservatory’s Bay Youth Symphony (BaYS) students will have someone other than Candace Kniffen at the helm when they start their season on September 14 with an open rehearsal at Marshfield High School. South Shore Conservatory (SSC) shared thanks and well wishes to retiring BaYS Managing Director Kniffen after their final concert of the 2015/16 season, and hello to new Program Director Cassie Sulbaran.

“I feel good about leaving,” says Kniffen, “It’s a good time to step back. BaYS has drawn kids from various experiences. Most South Shore schools do not have a full orchestra program, and many students have no string ensemble program in their schools. For these students, and the home-schooled community, BaYS has been a godsend.”

Kniffen adds, “A lot of good friendships have been established and there’s been good personal growth though BaYS. It’s good for socialization. In fact some kids have gone to prom together.”

Bay Youth Symphony started in 2007 in response to SSC string faculty members requesting an orchestra experience for their students. Until BaYS was established, South Shore musicians had to travel to Boston to participate in a youth orchestra. The program originally rehearsed weekly at the Duxbury Performing Arts Center, and now rehearses weekly at Marshfield High School.

BaYS began with a full orchestra and a string ensemble, which Kniffen was asked to conduct in addition to managing the program. Now, nine years later, BaYS has two full orchestras with opportunities for both intermediate and advanced string, wind and percussion students.

BaYS 2016/17 includes kids from 18 different towns, and, according to Kniffen, feedback from public schools has been encouraging. “The towns that support us have been very positive about the musical growth they’ve seen in their students who participate in BaYS.”

Kniffen, who was with the Marshfield Public Schools for 35 years (her last 15 as Director of Music) thinks about her years with BaYS and recalls her favorite moment. “My proudest moment with BaYS was the concert we played at the Cape Cod Canal for its 100th anniversary. We played commissioned works and the kids were amazing, treated like royalty. They played with the Cape Cod Youth Symphony and the New Bedford Youth Symphony.”

Her hopes for the future of BaYS are for them to perform in SSC’s Jane Carr Amphitheater in Hingham, and for them to have the chance to perform at more area high schools and in public. “Giving kids opportunities is what BaYS is all about.”

SSC Director of Programs and Curriculum Su D’Ambrosio praises Kniffen for all she has given to BaYS over the years. “We are so grateful to Candy for the passion, expertise and love she brought to this program. Her vision and commitment helped BaYS become a vital program for orchestra students on the South Shore. We are going to miss her terribly, but wish her the best.”

“I will miss the kids and the staff,” says Kniffen. “We’ve got a great staff. Cassie Sulbaran, who is an SSC string instructor, has been my assistant program manager for a year, and she brings a new perspective. She’s into El Systema which puts arts first. She expects kids to commit and to do the best they can, but she understands the need for balance.”

South Shore Conservatory’s Bay Youth Symphony program meets on Wednesday evenings at Marshfield High School at 167 Forest Street. Students interested in joining BaYS should contact Program Director, Cassie Sulbaran, at bays@sscmusic.org or attend the first rehearsal on September 14, which is open to all musicians. To learn more about the orchestra, visit http://sscmusic.org/orchestra.html, or follow South Shore Conservatory on Facebook and Twitter.

About South Shore Conservatory

South Shore Conservatory, recently recognized as a national model for arts education by the National Guild for Community Arts Education, is celebrating nearly 45 years of enriching the lives of South Shore residents through music and the arts. SSC was founded as a not-for-profit community music school in 1970 and now has two beautiful campuses in Hingham and Duxbury. Currently serving over 3500 students of all ages and abilities, SSC is the largest community school for the arts in Massachusetts. Students participate in more than 50 diverse programs in music, dance and drama. Through innovative partnerships with social service agencies, SSC’s Creative Arts Therapies department supports the mental, emotional, and physical health of some of our community’s more fragile members. SSC’s Hingham campus is located at One Conservatory Drive, Hingham, 781-749-7565. SSC’s Duxbury campus is located at the Ellison Center for the Arts, 64 St. George Street, Duxbury, 781-934-2731. South Shore Conservatory is a member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education. SSC programs are supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information call us, follow us on Facebook or visit www.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.