PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCES LEARNING & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 2019-2020 SEASON

Schooltime Concerts Offered at No Cost to All Schools

Fiddlesticks Invites Families of Young Children for Saturday Mornings of Musical Fun

First-Ever Sensory-Friendly Holiday Pops Concert

Neighborhood Partnerships and Community Collaborations Enhance Musical Experiences and Train New Musicians

Musical Mondays: New Program at Children's Hospital Enhances Wellness

For Immediate Release
November 19, 2019

PITTSBURGH, PA—The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Learning & Community Engagement 2019-2020 season kicks into high gear this week: the season’s first Fiddlesticks Family Concert plus Schooltime Concerts for fourth-graders lead a year of programming that deepens musical experiences for all ages throughout the community.

“The Pittsburgh Symphony’s wide range of diverse offerings and initiatives throughout the community use the power of music to create emotional connections, to enhance well-being, to build new audiences and to create opportunities for our incredible musicians to share their expertise,” said Melia Tourangeau, President and CEO of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. “We’re honored to partner with people throughout the community on concerts and programs that respond to current as well as changing priorities.”

Learning & Community Engagement programs at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra represent a $3 million annual investment in our future, and directly impact the lives of more than 300,000 children, students and community members throughout our region each year. New efforts this year include a first-ever Holiday Pops sensory friendly concert, and “Musical Mondays,” a significantly enhanced wellness program in partnership with Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Community Engagement Programs include Neighborhood Partnerships with the Hill District and Wilkinsburg; Community Collaborations with City of Asylum; and Music & Wellness programs including Sensory Friendly concerts and collaborations with military veterans organizations. Learning Programs include Fiddlesticks Family Concerts, Schooltime Concerts, Coach & Play, EQT Student Side-By-Side and Kraft Heinz Hear & Now. Full details follow. Ticket information can be found at pittsburghsymphony.org.

Pittsburgh Symphony Learning & Community Engagement programs are supported by generous grants from Lincoln Learning Solutions, The Jack Buncher Foundation, the Allegheny Regional Asset District, and the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

LEARNING PROGRAMS

Fiddlesticks Family Concerts

Join Fiddlesticks, our musical ambassador, and guest vocalist Katy Williams for musical adventures recommended for families with children ages three to eight. It’s a relaxed, welcoming and interactive environment—with Sensory Friendly accommodations available at all Fiddlesticks Family Concerts. Arrive early to make sure you experience everything these concerts have to offer, including meeting Pittsburgh Symphony musicians and hands-on activities.

Up and Away!

Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 11:15 a.m.
Heinz Hall
Andrés Franco, conductor
Take flight with Fiddlesticks and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra! Your imagination will soar through the sky, dream of the moonlight, and make a Wish Upon a Star. Fiddlesticks celebrates the music of flight and the 50th anniversary of the moon landing with music from Star Wars, favorites by Debussy and Stravinsky, and more.

Love is in the Air

Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 11:15 a.m.
Heinz Hall
Andrés Franco, conductor
Roses are red, violets are blue, Fiddlesticks loves music, and so do you! Fiddlesticks celebrates love’s many shapes with family, friends and neighbors. Come hear how Gershwin, Elgar and Mister Rogers express their love through music and share photos of the people you love for a special slideshow on the Heinz Hall screen.

Spring has Sprung

Saturday, April 4, 2020, at 11:15 a.m.
Heinz Hall
Andrés Franco, conductor
Join Fiddlesticks for music that inspires his favorite springtime activities, including Vivaldi’s “Spring” from The Four Seasons, Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, and Strauss’s Voices of Spring waltz.

These concerts are made possible by support from Clearview Federal Credit Union and are endowed by Gerald and Audrey McGinnis, honoring the Center for Young Musicians.

Schooltime Concerts

Offered to school groups in grades pre-k/kindergarten, two, four and six, these fun, interactive programs introduce students to the orchestra and nurture a love of music. Performances are free of charge, but require registration. Reserve seats at pittsburghsymphony.org/reservations.

Pre-K/Kindergarten Schooltime
Dragon Night (November 26, 2019) and Carnival of the Animals (March 25, 2020)

Second Grade Schooltime
Meet the Orchestra (April 29, 30; May 5, 6, 12 and 13, 2020)

Fourth Grade Schooltime
Musical Journeys (November 19, 20 and 21, 2019)

Sixth Grade Schooltime
Ellis Island: The Dream of America (January 29 and 30, 2020)

These concerts are made possible by generous support from the Equitrans Midstream Foundation and FedEx Ground.

Coach & Play

Open to schools located in Allegheny County, Coach & Play collaborates with local music teachers to deliver customized enhancements for middle and high school instrumental music classes. The program pairs interested teachers with Pittsburgh Symphony musicians for a series of in-school sessions with instrumental music students. Coach & Play is offered at no cost to schools, and is underway.

EQT Student Side-by-Side

This exciting program gives student musicians in grades 9-12 the experience of rehearsing and performing “side-by-side” their Pittsburgh Symphony counterparts on the Heinz Hall stage. Program highlights include personal coaching, group sectionals and workshops, and full orchestra rehearsals with Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Resident Conductor Andrés Franco. Participation is by application only: pittsburghsymphony.org/studentside

Key program dates:
November 22, 2019 – Application deadline
March 18, 2020 – Full rehearsal and concert with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

This program is made possible by title sponsorship support from the EQT Foundation.

Kraft Heinz Hear & Now

Kraft Heinz Hear & Now is a student-led program that invites high school students to create their own music and art around a topic of collective important to the group. Students from schools across the region meet during the school day at Heinz Hall for a series of interactive workshops lead by specialized teaching artists. The program culminates in a multisensory final event where students share their original works and elements of the creative process with the public. Register online at www.pittsburghsymphony.org/community; registration deadline is December 6.

This program is made possible by title sponsorship support from The Kraft Heinz Company and additional support from the Equitrans Midstream Foundation.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Neighborhood Partnerships with the Hill District and Wilkinsburg

The Hill District Neighborhood Partnership celebrates the neighborhood's rich cultural legacy and elevates contemporary artistic voices through a collaboration with Hill District artists and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The Wilkinsburg Neighborhood Partnership promotes music education in the Wilkinsburg School District by raising funds for the music program, supplementing music instruction with classroom visits by PSO musicians, and providing opportunities for students to attend performances at Heinz Hall.

Lift Every Voice Concert at Heinz Hall

Saturday, February 29 8:00 p.m.
André Raphel, conductor
Tamara Tunie, host and vocalist
Shantanique Moore, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra OTPAAM Fellow, soloist – flute
The Life Every Voice Unity Choir, Nikki Porter, choir director

Designed in collaboration with members of Pittsburgh’s artistic community, this one-night-only concert features the work of some of America’s greatest artists and composers. Groundbreaking texts of Toni Morrison, James Baldwin and Jessye Norman will be performed alongside inspirational music by Billy Strayhorn, Richard Smallwood and Kathryn Bostic, linking past and present, and guiding us on a collective path toward unity and freedom.

Wilkinsburg Community Concert

May 21, 2020 8:00 p.m.
747 Wallace Ave., Wilkinsburg (former Wilkinsburg High School)

This concert is made possible by support from the Dollar Bank Foundation.

Community Collaborations with City of Asylum

A creative intersection of music, art, and spoken word hosted by City of Asylum @ Alphabet City on the Northside. Hosted by PSO associate conductors, each performance features themes and content jointly created by musicians, writers and artists from Pittsburgh and around the globe. Attendance is limited to 140 people at each event, so mark your calendars for these intimate, behind-the-scenes performances. Tickets are free and open to the public through City of Asylum at alphabetcity.org

Location for all concerts: City of Asylum. 40 W. North Ave., Pittsburgh 15212 (North Side)

December 5, 2019 7:00 p.m.
Join Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and guest soloist Augustin Hadelich for “New and Old,” the return of PSO’s @ COA’s collaborative season.

February 13, 2020 7:00 p.m.
program to be announced

March 12, 2020 7:00 p.m.
program to be announced

May 7, 2029 7:00 p.m.
program to be announced

Music & Wellness

The Music and Wellness program works to positively impact the physical, mental and emotional health of Pittsburgh residents. Working closely with music therapists and other healthcare professionals across the region, the program brings therapeutic, live musical experiences to individuals of all ages in a variety of settings.

Music & Wellness is made possible by generous support from FedEx Ground and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield & Allegheny Health Network.

Holiday Pops Sensory Friendly Concert

December 21, 2019 2:30 p.m.
Heinz Hall
For the first time, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will present its traditional Holiday Pops concert as a sensory friendly performance. Sensory friendly performances are musical experiences customized especially for patrons with autism spectrum disorders or other disabilities that create sensory sensitivities. Get in the holiday spirit with the entire family, in a judgement-free environment that is welcoming to all, especially those with sensory sensitivities and those on the autism spectrum.

This concert is made possible by generous grants from, FedEx Ground, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield & Allegheny Health Network, PPG Foundation, Wesley Family Services, and Pirates Charities. Pittsburgh Symphony Learning & Community Engagement programs are supported by generous grants from Lincoln Learning Solutions, The Jack Buncher Foundation, the Allegheny Regional Asset District, and the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

An Americana Concert

July 3, 2020 7:00 p.m.
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum

Join the Pittsburgh Symphony for an evening of patriotic music and reflective tributes to honor our military personnel. This free concert celebrates those who serve and protect our country and is co-hosted by Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum.

This concert is made possible by generous support from Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) and The Fine Foundation.

In Honor of Service

The Pittsburgh Symphony works with the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System to provide therapeutic experiences for local veterans using live music. The symphony also offers military ticket discounts to BNY Mellon Grand Classics, PNC Pops and Fiddlesticks Family Concerts.

This program is made possible by generous support from Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) and The Fine Foundation.

Allegheny Valley School

The Pittsburgh Symphony performs two concerts each season for residents at the Pittsburgh campus and works with AVS music therapists to facilitate pre-concert visits.

Musical Mondays – Children’s Hospital

This longstanding collaboration expands this year in the new art and music therapy space at Children’s Hospital. Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra musicians will play live in the space for those patients and their families who wish to attend. The music is also simulcast through the Children’s Hospital audio-visual system.

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About Manfred Honeck →

About the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra →

About Melia P. Tourangeau →

About the Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts →


 

Media Contacts
Julie Goetz | Director of Communications
jgoetz@pittsburghsymphony.org | 412.392.4866