Utah Symphony Visits Provo City School District for In-School Symphony Concert Service

January 23rd, 2024 /
Spencer Tuinei /
Elementary School, News, Provo High, Schools, Secondary Schools

Utah Symphony brought the magic of live music to 1500 students in Provo City School District, connecting communities through in-school Symphony Concerts. From football analogies to comparisons of T-Swift to Mozart, students explored the world of orchestral music through captivating performances and guided listening practices.

Between 19 districts, 229 schools, and more than 28,000 students statewide, the Utah Symphony has made a goal of “connecting communities through live concerts, programs, and meet-and-greets,” to quote their Utah Symphony Education Annual Report for 2022-2023. Each performance, to further quote, “takes students through guided listening, highlighting different musical aspects that communicate ideas and feelings.”

Throughout the concert, students learned about the components of an orchestra. “I’m like the quarterback and head coach of the football team,” Their conductor said. “Even though we all have the same scores and goals, there are a lot of differing opinions of where a piece should go. It’s my job to unite and handle my idea of how performance should go in real-time.”

He then introduced each instrument and its role in differing orchestras. “The bass,” the conductor started, “lays down the law. Everything starts from the floor up, with the bass.” Their bassist laid down the law, plucking a walking bass tune that was thick and groovy, closing with a chord. From the chocolatey legato of a cello to the floatier, sublime effect of a violin, orchestra members performed solos that eventually united with a piece of music.

You might assume that an orchestra performance might fail to capture high schoolers’ attention, but students applauded and participated with each passing performance, enraptured by the show. By the end of the concert, forty minutes later, students new to music were actively interpreting classical music and feeling out each piece on a deeper level.

In a world moving towards digital spaces, Utah Symphony’s in-school concert reminded students to value the communicative power of live performance. It united students, offered more tools to appreciate music and understand the rich world of music, and encouraged them to step out of their comfort zones to take on a new art form to connect with communities and stories outside of themselves. The Utah Symphony’s stated purpose was to connect communities and learn more about how others communicate through art, and they more than succeeded with our students.

Their goal doesn’t end with concert performances, however– they seek to create a sustainable impact through their Professional Outreach Program. To quote their statement on the Outreach Program:

The Utah Symphony travels to perform through the Professional Outreach Program in the Schools (POPS), managed by the Utah State Board of Education and sponsored by the Utah State Legislature, supporting arts education in Utah’s public schools. Professional arts educational programs come to schools for free or subsidized costs. The goal is to connect schools, teachers, administrators, and students with high-quality arts learning experiences with professional artists. POPS supports the state’s core arts standards by providing arts education opportunities to all Utah schools. Fifteen POPS organizations are available to provide lecture demonstrations or assemblies in art instruction in the classroom, teacher professional development workshops, concerts, and performances in dance, media arts, theatre, music, and visual arts to our schools.

Learn more about POPS and their many offerings at their Google Sheets calendar here.