Music brings people together to inspire and unite the human spirit. The Colorado Symphony believes that symphonic music must be available to everyone and that communities thrive when music is accessible to all.
When you give to the Colorado Symphony, it does more than support the music you hear from stage. It makes an impact that extends far beyond the walls of Boettcher Concert Hall, into communities, local businesses, and schools across Colorado, inspiring the next generation of music makers in our state and providing cultural experiences that enrich the lives of all Coloradans.
With an annual local economic impact of $30 million, the Colorado Symphony plays a vital role in elevating Denver’s national reputation while improving the quality of life for current and future generations.
However, the greatest impact is felt in classrooms and practice studios across Colorado, where 74% of full-time Colorado Symphony musicians currently serve as music educators or teach private lessons. As one of the state’s largest full-time arts employers, the Colorado Symphony helps to provide a strong base of support for the performing arts ecosystem.
Engaging the communities in Colorado is a vital part of the Colorado Symphony’s mission, as each year nearly 30,000 children, students, and adults attend our education and community programs both inside Boettcher Concert Hall and around metro-Denver to learn and experience the enriching world of symphonic music. But a renewed focus on accessibility and deeper community engagement have taken Colorado Symphony education and community programs to even higher levels in recent years.
As part of the Colorado Symphony’s goal to create high impact programming and deliver mentorship and coaching opportunities to students, a new partnership brought seven Colorado Symphony musicians to Aurora Central High School this year for nearly 130 hours of engagement with their students. The program includes sectionals for both band and orchestra students and side-by-side performances with those musicians at school concerts throughout the 2022/23 school year.
“It has been a joy to work with the Colorado Symphony over the past year and to see our partnership grow.”
Nickie Lundberg, Children’s Guide at Anythink Library Brighton
“Collaborating with the Colorado Symphony has changed the entire atmosphere of the music program at Aurora Central High School,” said Kyle Jones, Instrumental Music Teacher at Aurora Central High School. “Students are eager to learn from professional musicians and have enjoyed building relationships with them. We have more students asking to attend the Open Rehearsals and Youth Concerts than we have room for! Working with the Symphony has energized our students and provided valuable opportunities for me and my program.”
The Colorado Symphony believes the arts play a major role in building healthy, richly diverse communities and that students of all ages should have the opportunity to experience the interconnectedness that the arts provide, regardless of their financial resources. The CSA has continued to have discussions with community leaders about the lack of bilingual offerings that showcase symphonic music, a need for programming that supports early-childhood education literacy efforts, and culturally relevant performances. From these conversations, the Symphony has designed several programs that create opportunities for community building.
Anythink Library Brighton is one example of a partnering organization that is seeing the benefits of bringing in symphonic programming.
“It has been a joy to work with the Colorado Symphony over the past year and to see our partnership grow,” said Nickie Lundberg, a Children’s Guide at Anythink Library in Brighton. “I love watching the children’s faces when they are exposed to new types of music or are enthralled by a performance. I especially appreciate that the Symphony has been able to bring bilingual music experiences to the Brighton and Adams County community. We were able to offer free Petite Musique and Canta y Baila Conmigo concerts to our youngest community members and customers have shared with me that the Symphony has been one of their favorite library experiences. Through the Symphony’s Master Mentor program, we surprised and delighted our customers by having impromptu music performances in the library. Recently, we had Anne-Marie here at Anythink Brighton, a violinist from the Colorado Symphony. A customer came in and heard the last few songs of the performance and was overjoyed. She said, ‘You cannot imagine what a day I had. This is exactly what I needed. This completely changed my day.’”
The Colorado Symphony continues to be an agent of social development in the community by enhancing music appreciation, providing unforgettable entertainment, and using music to touch the depths of the human spirit. But the most meaningful impact will come from connecting with the next generation who will become the artists, educators, and music enthusiasts of tomorrow.
“At the Colorado Symphony, we have the potential to be an American leader in providing musically and culturally diverse live symphonic music.”
Peter Oundjian, Principal Conductor
Colorado Symphony musicians also perform annually alongside the Denver Young Artists Orchestra (DYAO), one of the leading youth orchestras in the country, which was originally formed by musicians from the then Denver Symphony Orchestra in 1977. In 2018, a strategic alliance was formed between the two organizations, which has ensured that young musicians in the DYAO have even greater access to and mentorship from the musicians of the Colorado Symphony.
In addition to DYAO, Colorado Symphony musicians participate in many other youth-based music programs throughout Colorado including El Sistema Colorado, Front Range Youth Symphony, and Rocky Ridge Music Center.
“Whether your favorite musical genre is classical or rock, there is a craving for live symphonic music in our community among all ages and backgrounds,” said Peter Oundjian, Principal Conductor. “At the Colorado Symphony, we have the potential to be an American leader in providing musically and culturally diverse live symphonic music. Because of your support and the imagination of the Colorado Symphony, we are creating a future where the symphony is for everyone.”
Thanks in part to the generosity of patrons and donors like you, 60,000 students and teachers experienced the transformative power of live performance last season between in person and virtual Colorado Symphony program offerings. But that’s not all – you helped to create a thriving cultural ecosystem by supporting one of Colorado’s largest full-time arts employers. The Colorado Symphony employs over 80 full-time musicians who enrich our communities by sharing their artistry on and off stage as educators, leaders, and community members.
As the Colorado Symphony looks towards the future, the goal remains clear: to provide programming and experiences that allow students and the community to not only experience the live sounds of symphonic music, but to see themselves in the music, in its musicians, and in Boettcher Concert Hall. That includes additional inclusive programming featuring bilingual performances, repertoire from an array of diverse composers, and outreach efforts that extend to every school district across the state through in person performances and the distribution of virtual content. And the Colorado Symphony is capable of so much more, but we can’t without your help.
The future of live symphonic music belongs to all of us and together we can make a lasting impact on Colorado for generations to come.
Colorado Symphony Team
Consider a donation today and help maintain this thriving ecosystem of support for years to come. The future of live symphonic music belongs to all of us and together we can make a lasting impact on Colorado for generations to come. Your support today will allow the Colorado Symphony to provide in-person and virtual education content to schools around the state for years to come and open doors for new and innovative future opportunities.
To learn how you can get involved, contact Breanna McCaughey, Director of Community Education, at bmccaughey@coloradosymphony.org. To become a supporter of the Colorado Symphony you can contribute online or contact Cecile Forsberg-Kerr, Director of Individual and Strategic Support, at cforsbergkerr@coloradosymphony.org.