Students from Alta Vista School perform at the 2024 Young People's Concerts
About the Young People's Concerts

Since 1959, the Tulare County Office of Education and the Sequoia Symphony Orchestra have partnered to share symphonic music with the students of Tulare County through the Young People’s Concerts. Each school year, elementary students from across the county will have the opportunity to perform alongside the orchestra as part of the Link Up program.

What Is Link Up?

Developed by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute, Link Up is an internationally-recognized, interactive student music program. Link Up is fully immersive and very different from a traditional concert experience. Instead of simply listening to the musicians on stage for a single performance, students explore the process of creating and performing the concert music as musicians themselves. Through Link Up, students in grades 3-5 spend the school year learning to play recorder instruments. Their learning culminates in the spring at the Fox Theatre as they sing, dance, and play their instruments along with the orchestra.

    Inside the Fox Theatre during the 2024 Link Up Concert

    Link Up Program Goals
    • Teach fundamental musical concepts to students
    • Introduce students to the symphony orchestra
    • Inspire the next generation of musicians and orchestra music lovers
    • Foster relationships between the orchestra and local schools
    • Provide professional learning opportunities for teachers
    Link Up Program Components
    • Year-long program for the school year
    • Target grade levels – third through fifth (can extend to other grades as well)
    • Free professional learning
    • Free recorder-based music curriculum and online resources
    • Free culminating concert event
    • Additional partnership and programming opportunities
    Program Costs
    • Recorders for every participating student - Average cost $5.00 each

    Link Up Program Resources
    Link Up includes four different concert programs - The Orchestra Sings, The Orchestra Rocks, The Orchestra Moves, and The Orchestra Swings. Tulare County's featured program for the 2024-25 school year will be The Orchestra Rocks. Preview curriculum resources below.

    Link Up in action!
    Link Up: A Program for Students in Grades 3-5

    In partnership with:

    Sequoia Symphony Orchestra logo, Bruce Kiesling, Music Director

    Event Details

    Program Registration Deadline
    October 1, 2024
    Program Registration Form

    Virtual Link Up Program Training
    October 7, 2024
    4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
    Zoom link will be emailed to registered schools

    Culminating Concert Event
    May 19, 2025
    Fox Theatre, Visalia
    Note: Priority concert registration for Link Up participating schools

    Event Contact:
    Staff Development & Curriculum Specialist - Visual, Performing, and Media Arts
    (559) 741-0809

    Additional Event Partners:

    CreateTC Logo - Arts, Culture, Community

     

    The QUAIL Project Logo - Quality Arts Instruction and Learning - Drawing of a quail standing and looking over its shoulder