San Diego SCPA is a school for students with a strong interest in the arts along with the discipline and commitment to succeed. Students develop and refine technique while discovering and enhancing their own individual style. SCPA seeks to provide the highest quality academic and artistic instruction in an atmosphere of mutual support. Our students have achieved excellence in universities and conservatories across the nation, including UCLA, Juilliard, the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the Arts Center at Pasadena, Boston Conservatory, The University of the Arts at Philadelphia, and the Tisch School of the Arts. SCPA counts 5 Tony Award Winners amongst its alumni, along with countless others working professionally in the artistic arena. SCPA offers a balanced curriculum in a multicultural setting. A rigorous academic program is offered in conjunction with comprehensive study in the visual and performing arts taught by teachers who are active arts professionals as well as credentialed educators. Students can take advantage of classes in choral music (with an emphasis on classical literature and vocal jazz as well as performing and tours), dance(Irish, Mexican and Spanish, modern, jazz, theatre, tap and ballet),drama, instrumental music (band, wind ensemble, chamber and symphony orchestras, jazz band, and theory/harmony), musical theatre, piano,technical theatre, video production, and visual arts (photography,graphic arts, color and design, three dimensional design, commercial art and ceramics).

Each year SCPA expects to have approximately 250 seats at the 9th grade level. Seats at the 10th grade level are few. In order to be eligible to audition, applicants must have an Enrollment Options Application on file with the district.

 

SCPAis a magnet school. After the district mandated deadline, applicants are given a computer generated random number. To support a diverse school population, SCPA will accept students in the following order: 23%from Cluster 1(Neighborhood high schools Henry, La Jolla, Point Loma, Scripps Ranch, Clairemont and University City), 32% from Cluster 2(Morse, Kearny, Madison, Mira Mesa, Mission Bay, and Serra) and 45% from Cluster 3 (Crawford, Lincoln, Hoover, and San Diego). Students will audition for the discipline (Dance, Theatre, Music, or Visual/Media Arts) they are most interested in. SCPA seeks students with potential,passion and commitment to the arts. Previous training is recommended,but is not required. Students may audition for more than one discipline; however, if they are accepted by more than one department they will be required to choose which discipline they will major in.Each discipline has its own audition committee. Specific audition performance expectations are listed below. Rubric scores of 1 through 4,with 4 being excellent, will determine student audition ranking.Students will be invited to enroll from the cluster list starting with students who earned a rubric score of 4, then 3 and so on. Following the Office of Enrollment Options magnet priorities, ties in rubric scores go to students currently attending SCPA and CPMA (Creative,Performing and Media Arts Middle School) over new students and then to siblings of currently enrolled students.