A Busy Month for Education

There is a lot of discussion in the media about the direction of the RPO, but what gets lost is the work the orchestra does now to inspire young people in our community. It's an essential component of the RPO, one that helps us fulfill our mission and reach new audiences for the future.

Today, 1,800 students from the Rochester area joined the RPO and Principal Conductor for Education Michael Butterman for an interactive concert exploring how music tells tales and sparks imaginations. It's the first of four education concerts this week that will reach 8,000 children aged 9 to 12, and one of a number of education and community events that reach over 30,000 people each year. Later in March, the RPO welcomes roughly 3,000 primary-school children for two performances. 

The Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, whose music director David Harman is celebrating his 20th anniversary, will be heading to Carnegie Hall on February 17. On March 11, the young musicians of the RPYO will join members of the RPO in a side-by-side concert in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. 

The RPYO, a key part of the RPO's community activities, allows young musicians to more deeply explore the music they love. Evidence of the RPYO's success was on display just this past weekend, when alumnus Ward Stare led the RPO in two concerts that critics and audience members alike raved about. 


As always, we thank you for your continued support of the RPO, which makes programs such as these possible. Follow us on Facebook to keep up with our education and community activities.