In a pre-pandemic photo, students head to a Columbus Symphony Young People’s Concert at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. Photo: Randall Schieber
“When Columbus Symphony concertmaster Joanna Frankel talks about the ‘crown jewel’ of the organization, she … is talking about the symphony’s music education programs,” writes Peter Tonguette in Monday’s (3/8) Columbus Dispatch (OH) “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, symphony officials say that its education programs will have reached more than 50,000 central Ohio children by the end of the 2020-21 season…. Several new initiatives were also undertaken this year, including a virtual music education curriculum for third graders … and … a pair of youth-oriented websites … An online benefit this week … the 45-minute ‘Columbus Symphony Cares About Kids Virtual Benefit’ … will include … an earlier recording of the symphony’s performance of a work by Black composer George Walker and a recent recording of J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins.… As symphony leaders look forward to … the autumn, young audiences remain a high priority [with] all children between the ages of 6 and 16 … admitted at no cost. Free tickets to next season’s Young People’s Concerts will also be made available to students at area Title 1 elementary schools. ‘We’re going to call it the year to remove barriers for our children,’ said executive director Denise Rehg.”
