Encore! Kids
Learn more about Encore! Kids
KEY INFORMATION
CULMINATING CONCERT
Every child will participate in a fieldtrip in the spring to a local auditorium, where a full symphony orchestra will be ready to create music together. There's no need to bring along their workbook as all lyrics will be clearly displayed on screens. In 2020/21, due to Covid-19, the concert will be live-streamed to the students’ classrooms and homes.
ABOUT THE CONCERT EXPERIENCE
The children don't come to sit and watch – they become the orchestra. This is more akin to a rock concert than a traditional Symphony Orchestra kids concert. It's completely interactive, and wildly impactful. The kids own it, and they'll never forget it.
STUDENTS INVOLVED
2,500 K-2 students from Moore County schools are involved in the program annually in NC, and 700 children are participating in our program this year in Mecklenburg County Schools, VA.
THEME
Each year of the three-year cycle has a theme, such as Carnival of the Animals, including selections from Camille Saint-Saens' classic work for children.
STUDENT WORKBOOK
Every child receives their own student workbook to keep. Click here to download a sample pdf version of the workbook.
CLASSROOM PREPARATION
All students will prepare in their weekly music class for at least eight weeks prior to the culminating concert experience to gain maximum impact and benefit from the program.
GUEST MUSICIAN VISIT
Every participating music class will be visited by a special Guest Artist from the orchestra during the course of their preparations. The Artist will share about the program and make music together with the children.
PROGRAM FUNDING
Encore! Kids is a public-private partnership between Orchestra 2100 and/or The Carolina Philharmonic and a local School System. In the thriving program in Moore County, NC, The Carolina Philharmonic partners with Moore County Schools; the program is made possible through generous funding through hundreds of local citizens. Similarly, Orchestra 2100 funds the program in Virginia through generous individual and corporate donations and sponsorships.
COSTS
Encore! Kids costs on average $50 per child. (The per child cost will decrease significantly as the program scales.)
Private-Public Partnership
Minimal indirect costs are provided through the school district, such as the performance venue, busing the children to the performance, logistical support, and integration of the program into existing music instruction in the schools. The key component of the partnership is exploring synergistic ways to connect the larger community with the project to enable private funding. The School System is in a unique position to educate parents about the program to create community ownership and support.
Integration with Common Core, Standards of Learning
According to participating Music Educators, Encore! Kids easily integrates into the existing teaching standards in place for Music Teachers. The program is intended to enhance, not replace, the existing curriculum. Teachers report that due to the Encore! Kids program and their students looking forward to and preparing for the culminating interactive concert that the classroom experience improves significantly.
Vision
The Encore! Kids program is actively exploring statewide expansion, first through North Carolina and Virginia, and then nationwide, in partnership with the DC/VA-based Orchestra 2100. All curriculum, materials and online resources will ultimately be available to regional and national partners free of cost through the Encore! Kids Foundation.
Technological innovation: Encore! Kids will experience annual iterations based on the existing platform, incorporating cutting edge educational software and integration into the culminating performances of new technologies, such as VR and hologram imagery. Additionally, beginning as early as Spring 2019, an online platform of integrated software innovations will be made available to participating schools, both online and in downloadable versions, to enhance the preparation experience for culminating concerts as well as provide ongoing learning opportunities for students at home.
