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Explore our free programs that bring the transformative power of the arts to your students

School Concerts (3rd-5th Grade Students)

The ideal way to expose students in grades 3-5 to the exciting art form of orchestral music and the traditions of the concert hall

Jane H. Kesson School Concerts    

Named in honor of Jane H. Kesson (1926-2017), a generous Philadelphia Orchestra patron and music educator of over 45 years, the J.H.K. School Concerts program equips classroom teachers and students with curriculum guides and resources to prepare them for interactive in-person Philadelphia Orchestra concert experiences in Marian Anderson Hall of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Students leave with fundamental musical vocabulary and an appreciation for orchestral music.

This program is generously funded by the Billy Joel Fund for Music Education. Established in 2008, with an extraordinary donation from legendary singer-songwriter Billy Joel, the Billy Joel Fund for Music Education is earmarked to support and augment music education in the School District of Philadelphia (SDP). The Fund subsidizes tickets and transportation, allowing School District of Philadelphia schools to receive up to 80 tickets and bus transportation (up to 2 buses) to attend a J.H.K. School Concert each year.  Eligibility for the sponsored tickets and busing is limited to elementary schools within the School District of Philadelphia only.

We invite and encourage all regional schools to attend as well! Tickets for non-SDP schools are $8 per person, with no immediate cost, and registrants will be invoiced prior to the performance date.

For any questions, please email: school_concerts@philorch.org

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Performance Dates:

  • Feb 11, 2025, at 10:30 AM & 12:15 PM
  • Feb 12, 2025, at 10:30 AM & 12:15 PM
  • Feb 13, 2025, at 10:30 AM

Repertoire:

Still Fourth movement from Symphony No. 2 (“Song of a New Race”)  
Bizet Prelude to Act I of Carmen 
Rachmaninoff Vocalise  
Chen “Running in the Woods,” from Hakka Tales 
Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet  

Set The Stage (4-6th Grade Students)

An introduction to Musical Theater for students in grades 4-6

Set The Stage provides students with an introduction to the magic of musical theater. Students will explore theater as a medley of different art forms, all serving to Set The Stage to tell their own stories. The program includes a pre-show workshop at your school, taught by our experienced Teaching Artists, where students are introduced to the world of musical theater. Through engaging acting, singing, and dancing exercises, participants will discover the essential elements of musical theater productions. Next, students will embark on a memorable field trip to the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts where they will experience the magic of live theater firsthand. This captivating performance featuring local Philadelphia talent will immerse students in the sights and sounds of a professional musical production with a journey through acting, singing, dancing, and theater technology. After the performance, our Teaching Artists will return to your classroom for a post-show workshop where they will guide students through a creative activity in which students will collaborate to create their own musical theater story.    

Performance Dates:

  • Nov 7th, 2024, at 12:00pm
  • Nov 19th, 2024, at 10:30am & 12:00pm
  • Nov 20th, 2024, at 10:30am & 12:00pm

Online registration is currently unavailable.

Please Contact our Team for Assistance

Jazz For Freedom (5-7th Grade Students)

Exploration of Social Change through the history and traditions of Jazz

Jazz For Freedom is an engaging educational program that celebrates Jazz as a vital branch of Black American Music, embodying the rich tapestry of our society and the ongoing work towards social justice. This unique program is designed to supplement the Philadelphia School District’s English Language Arts and Social Studies curricula, integrating the arts, culture, geography, history, and civics to provide a comprehensive learning experience. 

Serving over 5,000 students in grades 5 through 7, Jazz For Freedom not only educates but also inspires. The program’s highlight is a free student concert held at the Perelman Theater in the Kimmel Center. This concert is a vibrant showcase featuring musicians, dancers, and poets who take students on a journey through Jazz history—from its birth in New Orleans to the flourishing Jazz scene in Philadelphia today. 

To deepen the educational impact, Jazz For Freedom includes over 300 interactive pre-show and post-show workshops. These workshops are led by skilled Teaching Artists who visit classrooms to foster a deeper understanding of the topics. Through these engaging sessions, students explore the cultural significance of Jazz and its role in shaping our collective narrative. 

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Performance Dates

  • Jan 21, 2025, at 12:00 PM 
  • Jan 22, 2025, at 10:30 AM & 12:00 PM 
  • Jan 28, 2025, at 10:30 AM & 12:00 PM  
  • Feb 4, 2025, at 10:30 AM & 12:00 PM 
  • Feb 6, 2025, 10:30 AM & 12:00 PM 
  • Mar 4, 2025, at 10:30 AM 

Bussing to performances is offered free to participating Title I schools. 

Open Rehearsals (Middle and High School Students)

Behind-the-scenes access for middle and high school students to rehearsals of The Philadelphia Orchestra

Open Rehearsals are a unique and exciting opportunity for students to observe firsthand the artistic collaboration between world-class musicians and conductors. Since this is a working rehearsal for the Philadelphia Orchestra, the full length of the rehearsal is 3 hours. Open Rehearsals begin promptly and include a 20-minute break. If necessary, groups may leave during this intermission, which occurs approximately one hour into the rehearsal.   

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Event Dates and Program Information

Leonidas Kavakos Plays Korngold

Friday, February 21, 2025 10:00 AM 
 
Fabio Luisi Conductor 
Leonidas Kavakos Violin 
 
Sørensen Evening Land 
Korngold Violin Concerto 
Brahms Symphony No. 4  

Beethoven’s “Eroica”

Thursday, March 6, 2025 10:30 AM 
 
Michael Tilson Thomas Conductor 
Pierre-Laurent Aimard Piano 
 
Tilson Thomas Agnegram 
Ravel Piano Concerto for the Left Hand 
Beethoven Symphony No. 3

Marin Alsop Leads Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Frank

Thursday, March 13, 2025 10:30 AM 
 
Marin Alsop Conductor 
Randall Goosby Violin 
 
Frank Picaflor 
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto 
Brahms Variations on a Theme of Haydn

Shostakovich, Schumann, and Mazzoli

Thursday, March 27, 2025 10:30 AM 
 
Nathalie Stutzmann Conductor 
Edgar Moreau Cello 
 
Mazzoli Orpheus Undone 
Schumann Cello Concerto in A minor 
Shostakovich Symphony No. 5

Mahler’s Symphony No. 6

Thursday, April 10, 2025 10:30 AM 
 
Yannick Nézet-Séguin Conductor 
Mahler Symphony No. 6

Strauss and Liszt

Thursday, May 1, 2025 10:30 AM 
 
Tugan Sokhiev Conductor  
Haochen Zhang Piano 
 
Wagner Overture to Tannhäuser 
Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 
Strauss Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks 
Strauss "Dance of the Seven Veils," from Salome

Teacher Appreciation

Giving Back to Philadelphia Teachers

As a non-profit organization, Ensemble Arts Philly and The Philadelphia Orchestra celebrate and support local Philadelphia teachers all season long with free or heavily discounted tickets, both for themselves and for their students/classrooms. From free concerts by The Philadelphia Orchestra, exclusive invites to Broadway shows, and more – we are proud to invite the hard-working educational communities of our city to delight in the arts.

APPLE

Teachers, administrators, and staff of the School District of Philadelphia can receive free or heavily discounted tickets to performances by The Philadelphia Orchestra by registering for the APPLE program. APPLE (Appreciation Program for PhilaSD Leaders in Education) is valid for select concerts all season long to see the GRAMMY Award-winning Orchestra in their home at Marian Anderson Hall. Registration is easy for Philadelphia School District employees! Just register with your District e-mail address and keep an eye on your email for free ticket offers and special savings. APPLE tickets are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis and must be redeemed online.

LEARN MORE ABOUT APPLE

PHILADANCO Days

FREE | Theater & Dance 

An introduction to dance for students in grades 2-6 (Fall) and grades 7-12 (Spring)  

A presentation of The Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO), these special performances provide access and inspiration to young emerging dancers and choreographers. The Fall matinee is appropriate for grades 2-6. The Spring matinee is reserved for 7th-12th grade students. 

REGISTER TO ATTEND
 
Performance Dates

  • Fall Matinee: Thursday, December 5th, 2024 at 11:00am
  • Spring Matinee: Thursday, April 24th, 2025 at 11:00am

Registrants can email EducationCommunity@ensembleartsphilly.org for more information.  

Support Our Education and Community Programs

Your donation allows us to provide vital arts education and community programming to serve and create a broad and diverse audience. Your support helps us continue to make the arts inclusive and accessible to students of all ages.