Each October, the Charlottesville Symphony presents two free Youth Concerts in Old Cabell Hall for area fourth and fifth graders. These forty-five minute performances introduce students to orchestral instruments and serve as a recruiting tool for school band and orchestra programs. Students are invited to attend the concerts in the academic year before they have the opportunity to join their own school ensembles, assisting children in making educated choices about what instrument they would like to play. They are always popular with students, and serve for many as their first experience with live orchestral music. The concerts have enthusiastic support from local music teachers, who consider the concerts a part of their school’s music curriculum.
The Symphony’s first Youth Concerts were presented in 1977. Past programs include: A Musical Menagerie, Score One for the Orchestra, A Musical Forecast, Close Encounters of the Orchestral Kind, and Beethoven, Back to the Future.
We are deeply grateful for your commitment to making the arts accessible to all children, regardless of background, and for creating such a memorable experience that inspires curiosity and appreciation for music.
– Aaron Eichorst, Charlottesville City Schools Fine Arts Coordinator
Thank you to those in your ranks that made Thursday’s concert so memorable and meaningful. The musical selections were wonderful and the performance was excellent in every way. We are so appreciative of the service you provide to our community and our students.
– Andrew MacDanel, music teacher, Greenbrier Elementary School
For more information, please visit this page 4 weeks prior to the event.
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All events are subject to change.
Old Cabell Hall is located on the south end of UVA's historic lawn, directly opposite the Rotunda. Parking is available in the central grounds parking garage on Emmet Street, in the C1 parking lot off McCormick Rd, and in the parking lots at the UVA Corner. Handicap parking is available in the small parking lot adjacent to Bryan Hall.