For more than 75 years, the North Carolina Symphony’s Education Concerts have inspired generations of students through one of the nation’s most extensive symphony education programs. Designed for students in grades 3-5, these concerts introduce the instruments of the orchestra while exploring the fundamental elements of music through an interactive and engaging live concert experience.
The 2026/27 Education Concert, What Makes Music, Music?, invites students to discover how melody, rhythm, tempo, dynamics, texture, and form shape the music they hear. Featuring works by Mozart, Strauss, Joplin, and more, the program introduces students to a variety of musical styles and demonstrates how composers creatively use the elements of music in each piece.Â
Educators are encouraged to take advantage of the North Carolina Symphony’s free curriculum-aligned teacher resources and transportation funding opportunities to help make this field trip experience accessible and meaningful for every student.
Note: A special performance featuring Hayes School of Music musicians will take place later the same evening at 7:30pm as part of the Appalachian Arts 2026/2027 series. The evening performance is free; bring the whole family!
Run Time: ~ 60 minutes
Recommended for: Grades 3-5
Study Guide: download pdf here
Tickets
Contact theschaefercenter@appstate.edu, call 828-262-4046, visit the box office at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts, or register online.
$5/person
About North Carolina Symphony
Founded in 1932, the North Carolina Symphony (NCS) is a vital and honored component of North Carolina’s cultural life. Each year, more than 300 concerts, education programs, and community engagement offerings reach adults and schoolchildren in all 100 North Carolina counties—in communities large and small, and in concert halls, auditoriums, gymnasiums, restaurants, clubs, and outdoor settings. NCS is proud to expand access to audiences around the globe through concerts and educational offerings available through the digital space.
The Symphony performs under the artistic leadership of Grammy Award-winning Music Director Carlos Miguel Prieto. NCS’s state headquarters venue is the spectacular Meymandi Concert Hall at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh, and the Symphony’s service across the state includes series in Chapel Hill, Wilmington, New Bern, and Moore County, as well as the Summerfest series at its summer home, the outdoor Koka Booth Amphitheatre in Cary. NCS brings some of the world’s greatest talents to North Carolina and embraces home-state artists from classical musicians to bluegrass bands, creating live music experiences distinctive to North Carolina. NCS is dedicated to giving voice to new art and has presented more than 50 U.S. or world premieres in its history.
Committed to engaging students of all ages across North Carolina, NCS leads one of the most extensive education programs of any symphony orchestra in the country—serving over 150,000 students each year. In alignment with the curriculum set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the Symphony provides training and resources for teachers, sends small ensembles into classrooms, and presents full-orchestra in-person and online Education Concerts that bring the fundamentals of music to life. Music Discovery for preschoolers combines music with storytelling, and at the middle and high school levels, students have opportunities to work directly with NCS artists and perform for NCS audiences.
The North Carolina Symphony gratefully acknowledges financial support from Wake County, the City of Raleigh, and the State of North Carolina.
Educator Workshops
The APPlause! K-12 Performing Arts series is committed to helping educators receive high quality professional development at no cost. Certificates of completion can be obtained upon request for a wide variety of workshops offered by the Office of Arts Engagement and Cultural Resources.
Questions? Contact chenauskyc@appstate.edu | 828.262.2948
