Educational Outreach
Educational outreach brings the Poway Symphony Orchestra into local classrooms to inspire students through live demonstrations, instrument introductions, and interactive mini-concerts. Orchestra members visit schools to demonstrate various orchestral instruments; explain how ensembles work; and guide students in listening activities that build appreciation for orchestral music. Visits are tailored by grade level and curriculum goals, supporting classroom learning in music and the arts. These in-school experiences aim to spark curiosity, encourage musical participation, and make classical music accessible while enhancing student engagement and cultural enrichment.
Launched in November 2025, the Educational Outreach Program is funded in part by a grant from the Poway Community Foundation. Educators may request additional information by contacting the Poway Symphony Orchestra at info@powaysymphonyorchestra.org. Join us in building meaningful musical experiences that enrich our community.
Oak Valley Middle School (April 2026)
“On a Global Scale,” a program for 6th grade band students. During the interactive presentation, the PSO trio performed short selections of music by Gershwin, Sousa, and traditional folk tunes from around the world and led a listening game and class improvisation activity. The centerpiece of the program was a deeper exploration of the pentatonic scale and its use in folk music worldwide. The presenters also demonstrated their individual instruments, explaining how they produce sound and their role within an ensemble.
Tierra Bonita Elementary School (March 2026)
“Spotlight on Mendelssohn,” an interactive program introducing musical concepts such as motif and tonality to over 50 student musicians. Through live performances and interactive activities, students explored musical concepts like motif and tonality, and took a deeper dive into The Hebrides Overture by Felix Mendelssohn—discovering how music can paint vivid images of the natural world. From hands-on listening exercises to a lively Q&A, the young student musicians brought great energy, curiosity and thoughtful questions.
Los Peñasquitos Elementary School (November 2025)
A full-class presentation for 5th-grade students actively studying wind and string instruments. Two PSO musicians performed a variety of pieces and spoke about the music, the composers, background of their instruments, and led a Q & A session with prizes for students who answered correctly.