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Music Matters
Utah Symphony | Utah Opera is deeply engaged in music education, and has been impacting Utah students through live orchestra and opera Education Outreach performances for more than 40 years. Why? Because music education changes lives and creates opportunities for future success.Music Director Thierry Fischer speaks about the importance of music education alongside USUO President/CEO Paul Meecham and Education Outreach and Community Director Paula Fowler.
Opera in the Schools
As part of our education initiative, Utah Opera offers free music education programs to public schools and visits every school district in the state on a 3-5 year rotation.
“Just by exposing the students in our rural area to quality art is an amazing thing. My students were so impressed with the singing and acting as well as the piano playing. They loved it!” Choral music teacher, North Summit High School (Coalville) following an “Opera Up Close” presentation by Utah Opera’s Resident Artists
Opera-Tunities
Junior and senior high school students with their teachers are invited to attend final dress rehearsals of main stage productions.
Students from Parowan High School with the Resident Artists at an Opera-tunity performance.
Access to Music
Utah Symphony | Utah Opera offers an annual concert for children with special needs and their families.
“We’ve been coming for about 13 years and my 16-year-old son with autism calls this ‘the most important night of the year’ and he has for years. It’s his very special favorite day.” Feedback from a parent after the 2018 “Access to Music” concert.
Music! Words! Opera!
Teachers trained in Utah Opera’s Music! Words! Opera! workshops become project managers for year-long cross-curricular projects with their students. One of the benefits of creating and producing a class opera is the opportunity for students to improve in life skills: they have many opportunities to practice collaboration, listening, critical thinking and evaluating as well as creating.
Fourth-graders at Highland Park Elementary School perform “The Enormous Potato.”
KSL: Elementary school students get a taste of opera
Dive Deeper
Follow the links below to learn more about the role of music education in our state and beyond.