The SVYS Symphony Orchestra presented its annual third grade concerts on March 22, 2004, at the Springfield Center for the Arts. 632 students from several local grade schools as well as a group of home schooled children attended three concerts during the day. The visiting schools included Southern View, Trinity Lutheran, Fairview, Vachel Lindsay, St. Agnes, Blessed Sacrament, Palmyra Northwestern, Farmingdale Elementary, St. Joseph, Christian Elementary, and Divernon.

Maestro Richard Haglund led the orchestra in performances of Rossini's Overture to L'italiana in Algeri, and Mussorgski's Pictures at an Exhibition. Assistant Conductor Devin Hughes took the podium for Dvorak's Symphonic Dance No. 8.

This annual event is an important part of the SVYS educational outreach program, which introduces the thrill of orchestral music to the next generation of performers and audiences. The concert is supported in part by grants from Illinois Arts Council and Springfield Area Arts Council.

The SVYS educational committee is chaired by Jamie Greenwald, who coordinated the concerts. Dana Saal and Paula Kaplan assisted on the day of the event. Mrs. Kaplan treated the musicians to lunch between the concerts.

The musical community of Springfield is indebted to the SVYS musicians who gave their valuable time to perform for the third grade audiences.