Link Up: The Orchestra Sings

[For Grade Levels 3-5, with flexibility]

Carnegie Hall's Link Up program pairs orchestras with students in grades 3-5 at schools in their local communities, giving students the opportunity to learn about, listen to, and perform great music. Students participating in Link Up explore an interactive curriculum in which they learn to sing and play an instrument in the classroom before performing with the orchestra from their seats at a culminating concert.

Link Up provides a free, high-quality, yearlong curriculum that teachers can implement, along with teaching materials, online video and audio resources, and the professional development and support necessary to make the program an engaging experience for students.

Register by Friday, October 3, 2025.

The Orchestra Sings

Melody is one of the universal elements of music and defines the music we know and love. A great melody can express ideas and emotions, help tell a story, and bring people together through song. Composers create melodies through a combination of rhythmic patterns, sweeping contours, and expressive qualities. Through the Link Up repertoire, hands-on activities, and a culminating interactive performance with a professional orchestra, we will explore what makes a melody great.

Learn more about the Link Up curriculum and The Orchestra Sings.

Repertoire Highlights:

  • Thomas Cabaniss’s “Come to Play”

  • Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”

  • Reena Esmail’s “Ram Tori Maya”

  • Dvořák’s “New World” Symphony

  • Jim Papoulis’s “Oye”

  • Stravinsky’s Finale from The Firebird Suite

  • Nathalie Joachim’s “We Shall Not Be Moved”


Culminating Concert Information:

Thursday, March 12, 2026 
Performances at 10:30 AM & 12:30 PM

  • Duration: 50 minutes

  • Recommended Grades: 3rd–5th

  • Cost: $5 Students & Chaperones. Limited scholarships available.
    1 free chaperone admission per 15 students

Venue:
Hult Center for the Performing Arts
One Eugene Center, Eugene, OR 97401

Participating Schools Receive:

  • Link Up curriculum resources for each teacher (featuring repertoire for singing, playing the soprano recorder or violin, and program-related lesson plans and activities) with accompanying audio and video resources

  • Link Up resources for students

  • Professional development resources and webinar for lead teachers and administrators

  • Access to Carnegie Hall’s online resources, including additional lessons and interactive classroom resources

  • Access to Carnegie Hall’s Link Up Facebook group, which connects teachers, Carnegie Hall staff, and featured contributors to share ideas, student work, videos, and photos

School Requirements:

  • Register by Friday, October 3, 2025.

  • Attend a Professional Development Workshop (dates listed on registration form).

  • Provide recorders for students to participate in the curriculum. We suggest purchasing recorders through www.peripole.com. A promotional code will be provided to participants at the beginning of the year.

  • Implement the Link Up curriculum in the classroom and prepare students for success in the concert.

  • Be responsive via e-mail and phone and keep Eugene Symphony staff apprised of program implementation.

  • Attend the culminating Link Up Youth Concert on Tuesday, March 12, 2026, at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. Performances are held at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm and last approximately 45-50 minutes. Youth Concert tickets are $5/student and chaperone, with scholarships provided to schools upon request. One chaperone per 15 students is admitted for free. Participating schools must provide full payment to the Eugene Symphony by March 6, 2026.

Contact:

Katy Vizdal ✉
Education & Community Engagement Director
541-687-9487 x1116