The Symphony’s wide array of Education & Community Engagement programs are led by orchestra members and select instrumentalists from our nationally recognized Community-Embedded Musician Initiative.
In a typical year, the Houston Symphony serves more than 410,000 people annually—including more than 225,000 through free and low-cost programs, events, and concerts. Typically, students from 350 public, private and home schools, and 20 school districts participate in the Symphony’s education initiatives. During a pandemic year, the Houston Symphony served more than 1.3 million people through a combination of digital and live events.
Our Initiatives
Students & Educators
We’re here to help keep students engaged in musical studies through full-orchestra student concerts and classroom or home resources.
Families
From family-friendly concerts to making music at home, immerse your family in the joys of learning music.
Community
We are dedicated to connecting the music and musicians of the Symphony with the diverse communities of Greater Houston.
Partnerships
The Houston Symphony has strong partnerships with a number of local and national organizations.
Our programs are designed around three core values:
- Personal Connections: The Symphony’s wide array of Education & Community Engagement programs are led by orchestra musicians and musicians from our nationally recognized Community-Embedded Musician Initiative.
- Community-Centered: In our pursuit to become America’s most relevant and accessible orchestra, we design our programs to address the key needs of our community, informed by the invaluable guidance from our partner organizations and African American and Hispanic Leadership Councils.
- Diversity: Nearly 50% of our Education & Community Engagement program participants are economically disadvantaged, and they represent the diversity of our community – 43% Hispanic, 24% Caucasian, 23% Black, 7% Asian, 1% American Indian, and 2% from two or more races.