Side-by-Side
More than 1,000 talented central Indiana students have had the unique opportunity to share the stage of the historic Hilbert Circle Theatre with their professional counterparts since Side-by-Side began in 1991. Since taking over the management and execution of this program, I have made many changes that put our students at the forefront, not only elevating the quality of their experience and celebrating their musical achievements, but also increasing overall participation by 112%.
Since the 2015-16 season, Side-by-Side has been a stand-alone concert that is solely and uniquely dedicated to celebrating student musicianship and the importance of music in schools. We have welcomed over 3,000 patrons, generating $32,000 in ticket revenue.
In the 2019-20 season, my proposal for a permanent union of Side-by-Side and the Maurer Young Musicians Contest was accepted and for the first time, the contest winner performed at the Side-by-Side Concert in March of 2020.
Photos by Nick Shotwell
Testimonials
“The Side-by-Side experience was just magnificent. The musical environment was spectacular! Entering into Side-by-Side really gave me an experience that was unforgettably remarkable I learned many new things which were quite beneficial and will definitely help me out in the long run for my musical career that of viola performance! All in all I couldn't ask for more what a remarkable and memorable time I had, thank you to all the ISO mentors they did their amazing job in bettering us and structuring us musically!”
-2019 participant, HS Senior
“I LOVED IT I'M SO SAD THAT IT'S OVER! The most valuable thing was that I got to play an advanced piece with a professional musicians. I also valued the experience to have a renowned conductor to help direct the musicality of the group. I also enjoyed working with students from all different areas of Indiana. I loved playing with Side-by-Side, and this kind of experience really makes me question my future and makes me want to major in music.”
— 2020 participant, HS Junior
“I really enjoy Side-by-Side! The ability to play with this caliber of students and the level of repertoire is something that would be very unlikely to play without this group.”