School Pledges $20,000 to Help Save Program : Student Orchestra Gets Chance for Reprieve

As musicians in the California Institute of the Arts Youth Music Group prepared to play what might be their last concert tonight, the dean of the institute’s music school said it will give $20,000 to help save the youth orchestra if additional funds can be raised.

Dean Frans van Rossum said Wednesday that the Valencia school is willing to donate the money to revive the 15-year-old CalArts program for the 1986-87 school year. Van Rossum said he also will meet Aug. 20 with representatives of five Santa Clarita Valley school districts to discuss a joint effort to find money to preserve the youth orchestra, which trains outstanding young musicians in the Los Angeles area.

Shrinking Enrollment

The institute announced in April that the program would end after the concert tonight because of shifting budget priorities and a dwindling enrollment, which has shrunk to 11 from about 50 musicians five years ago. That announcement prompted protests by faculty members and parents of the musicians.

“I think it’s great,” parent Susan Bozman said Wednesday after learning of the $20,000 offer. “It’s a start, at least.”

Van Rossum said a total of $60,000 will be needed to get the program through the 1986-1987 school year. He said the institute’s contribution is contingent on finding donors for the remaining $40,000, and that he will seek support from the public school districts. The districts, whose classical music programs have dwindled in recent years, have not previously been involved with the CalArts group.

“We’re targeting on 1986 to see if we can start a renewed program,” Van Rossum said.

Conductor Skeptical

But Cesare Pascarella, the cellist and conductor who founded and led the group, said he is skeptical about the pledge of support.

“As far as I know, it’s the last concert, according to the school edict,” he said. “We are looking for other ways to sustain the program on our own if the school does not do it. It may be our last concert for now, but we’re not saying goodby.”

The 8 p.m. concert will be held in the Main Gallery at CalArts’ Valencia campus, just east of the McBean Parkway exit off Interstate 5. The program will consist of Baroque music by Antonio Vivaldi and Luigi Boccherini.