Education Programs

The Greenwich Symphony Orchestra is dedicated to educating and encouraging young people as they develop their musical abilities, explore a wide variety of musical styles, and experience the joy of music.

The GSO has enjoyed a long collaboration with the Greenwich Public Schools, and we are grateful for this partnership. Sincere thanks go to Sandra Heikel and Laura Newell of the Greenwich Public Schools and Daniel Miller of the GSO for their coordination and implementation of these programs, which serve nearly 4,000 students each school year.

The GSO in Greenwich Schools program brings musicians into classrooms for in-person instruction and performances. Presentations are given for students in grades two and three.  Through these up-close experiences, students are introduced to instruments that they might want to take up themselves and play in school ensembles.

The GSO Young People’s Concert is presented to students in grades four and five.  Students are prepared for the concert through curriculum developed by music educators. In April 2024, the GSO will perform a contemporary work by Israeli composer Avner Dorman, Uzu and Muzu from Kakaruzu, based on a Hebrew children’s story about conflict resolution, focusing on the importance of communication and using music as the medium for bridging divides.

  At the middle school and high school levels, Side-by-Side Concerts feature students and GSO musicians performing onstage together, an exhilarating experience for all. Musician Career Day assemblies are presented for instrumental students in the district’s three middle schools, including string, woodwind, and brass musicians discussing with students the paths and possibilities of careers in music.

Through these programs, music educators and musicians are taking part in the rewarding and inspiring process of setting the stage for students’ life-long involvement with music—whether through playing an instrument and performing, or through the excitement, creativity, and friendship that tend to accompany music in all of its many styles and settings.