InTune

The BSO knows the power of music, so attracting new and wider audiences is a staple of its mission. And the BSO Youth Concerts are doing just that. The hour-long concerts are organized primarily for New England schools and offer more than just a presentation of music; they give an entire experience.

Germeshausen Youth and Family Concerts Conductor Thomas Wilkins leads the concerts and creates a theme for each one. He loves to share the microphone with kids in attendance, prompting silly moments and encouraging a fun and relaxed environment. BSO musicians often wear color-coded clothing to distinguish their instrument family and make it easy for the students to see all the parts that make up the orchestra. Though Thomas plans the programs for 4th – 6th graders, the BSO Youth Concerts are open to all students – early elementary through high school. The entire experience serves as an introduction to the BSO and orchestral music, as well as the concert-going experience. In the last fiscal year, more than 6,110 students and educators participated, and many students attended their first classical music concert through this program!

To ensure accessibility, various accommodations are ready for use, including wheelchair seating and noise-cancelling headphones. Students and teachers from Boston Public Schools may attend any Youth Concert for free, subject to availability and with advance reservation.

The BSO also provides supplemental educational materials curated by a council of educators, including individual lesson plans. Content is specific to each piece featured in the concert, and often includes composer biographies and historical information surrounding the composition, as well as explorations of themes. These materials, which generally can be adapted for different age groups by teachers, allow educators to prepare students for the Symphony Hall trip and bring the experience back into their classroom to further their learning.

This year, Wilkins has created May I Have Your Attention Please. The program looks at the importance of getting attention from and paying attention to others in our lives. Wilkins has structured the program to look at how composers get the audience’s attention, whether it be a simple chord or a complicated introduction or orchestration choice, all to begin the performance. Music by Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Bartók, and more will be featured throughout the concert to complement and highlight the theme.

For learn more about BSO Youth Concerts, click here.