The students in Taryn Baillie’s music class at Presidio Middle school have a leg up in their studies, thanks to SFCM.

Through its Conservatory in Schools (CIS) program, the Conservatory provides its students with invaluable classroom training while supporting music education in San Francisco public schools, making it especially helpful for SFCM students like Elizabeth Burch, who’s pursuing music education as her next step. (SFCM offers Bachelor of Music students the option to pursue a concentration in arts leadership, teaching, or technology.)

But its impact on the classroom and teachers goes further than that. “Especially with the beginners, they're excited for coaching because they're just learning their instruments,” Baillie says. When there's 40 kids in the class, I can't always help everyone individually. So having Elizabeth here to fill that need is wonderful.”

CIS is part of several SFCM in the Community endeavors which allow for SFCM to spread music into the local community. From our first performances in founder Ada Clement's house to today’s 500-plus annual performances, 90 percent of which are free and open to the public, SFCM has been one of the most actively engaged institutions in the Bay Area.

“Just the way that orchestras are balanced, I have the most kids playing violin, and one violin coach is really not enough to cover all the classes,” Baillie continues. “Before, they were only getting coaching maybe once a month, and now they're able to get coaching twice a month because Elizabeth's able to help out and cover more of the students.”

“I myself went through the public school system and did middle-school orchestra, high-school orchestra,” Burch says. “So I know what that environment is like.” Her work with the students includes basic scales and rhythm training, though with some of the more advanced students, she’s able to drill down into the more technical aspects of violin playing that they’re “not getting consistently in the classroom because they're receiving more general direction towards all the strings."

Burch’s coaching with the students ranges from individuals to smaller groups. “It's always a surprise, but it's a good surprise,” she says of the work. “It keeps me on the edge of my seat, but it is really fun.”

Having grown up learning music via the Suzuki Method (a pedagogical approach that models itself on how young children acquire language skills) for 14 years, Burch's college experience was completely different from that background. “But I loved it,” she continues, “and I really, really grew.” Still, at the end of her sophomore year, she missed teaching and returned to it, eventually building a private studio for herself and teaching in Bay Area schools.

“The students who work with Elizabeth are usually excited when they hear that they get her coaching on a given day,” Baillie says. “They know they need the help and they like the extra support and the more individualized attention.”

“A lot of students have trouble adjusting to other violins in an ensemble setting,” Burch explains. “But when I tell them to open up their ears and find their sound in the group, they start really hearing it and adjusting. It's a great lightbulb moment, and watching that is awesome.”

Learn more about the SFCM in the Community initiatives.