Sacramento Valley Symphonic Band Association

♫  You can sustain and help build a Sacramento community music resource that is unique in the U.S.!   ♫

About Us:

The greater Sacramento area is rich with amateur musicians who have continued as adults their love of the band music they were introduced to in their childhood education.  They share this love with you through preparing and performing dozens of public concerts every year, showcasing a broad range of band music -- from classical favorites, marches, and contemporary wind band pieces, to arrangements of rock, jazz, and showtunes.

The Sacramento Valley Symphonic Band Association acts as an “umbrella” organization for 11 regional community bands and small chamber ensembles.  As far as we can tell, there is no other community-based organization like this in existence.  

In addition to its support of its member bands and their musicians, SVSBA uses its resources for a broad variety of public-benefit activities, including middle-school and high-school youth outreach programs and a free annual community band festival open to the public.

SVSBA is a California non-profit corporation with IRS code 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Its member organizations enjoy the benefits of:

- Nonprofit tax-exempt status for donations and other fundraising

- Use of SVSBA's checking account for financial transactions

- Use of an extensive music library

- Liability insurance coverage for venue rentals and performances

- Posting of publicity announcements and event calendars on the SVSBA website

- Subsidy of costs for free public concerts

Our Mission:

It is the SVSBA’s mission to support symphonic band music education and performance in the greater Sacramento area.  In particular, the SVSBA supports community bands and other affiliated musical ensembles, providing an opportunity for musicians to continue their musical education and experiences.

Our Need:

In alignment with our mission as an organization, we are working hard to create more opportunities for Sacramento wind band musicians by addressing the issue of accessibility through the creation of our Music Instrument Loan Library. 

Quality musical instruments are not often affordable, and some instruments (like tubas, bassoons, bass clarinets, and full sets of timpani) cost more than a new car. Because these instruments are so expensive, many musicians are unable to access them after their school years and are unable to participate in music making within their community. The result is that many of our member bands are unable to source these players and have incomplete ensembles. 

Our goal this year is $1,000 to begin to build our instrument loan library. We will be utilizing funds from previous years in combination with our new goal in order to purchase an English horn. Additional funds means the possibility of more instruments being added to the library, allowing more musicians in our community access to an instrument and playing in an ensemble.