Education and Outreach Programs is a suite of ten award-winning programs designed to ensure music is accessible to all, reaching every age group and demographic in South-Central Pennsylvania.
Rising Stars Concerto Competition
This unique competition offers an extraordinary opportunity for talented young musicians in grades 8-12 to showcase their skills, perform with a professional orchestra, and compete for valuable scholarship awards.
LSO Neighborhood Series
Fun, educational, and engaging, these free performances will follow a briefer format than our Masterworks Series and allow the community to connect more deeply with the music, musicians, and each other. It’s perfect for people of all ages and musical tastes!
Student Education Concerts
This season, we are bringing Michael Butterman’s Reach for the Stars program to Lancaster! Customized for grades 3-5 and 6-8, Reach for the Stars teaches young children about courage, perseverance, and setting goals through the beauty of classical music.
StandPartners
StandPartners pairs LSO musicians with Middle through High School classrooms for times of sharing performances and discussion. Sessions include in-person visits and side-by-side student ensemble rehearsals with LSO musicians.
Instrument Test Drive
With help from our musicians and community partners, students are able to “test drive” a musical instrument, learning how to hold and make a sound on as many instruments as they like.
Gift Of Music
The Gift of Music program collects, restores, and distributes band and orchestra instruments to music programs with students who cannot afford the cost of renting or purchasing an instrument of their own.
Play It Forward
Every season we invite local public school music teachers to submit a wish list of small items they need (valve oil, strings, slide grease, clarinet & saxophone reeds, etc). Since 2015 we have been able to supply wishlist requests, funding over $35,000 in needed instrument supplies.
Library Pass
Fourteen family passes are in circulation at local area libraries, and each Library Pass allows a family of 4 to attend any Masterworks program free of charge.
Open Rehearsals
Open Rehearsals offer community members a free and unique opportunity to view a working symphonic rehearsal. Attendees get a behind-the-scenes look at how a performance moves from a work in progress to a work of art.
Next Level Musicians
Young musicians from Lancaster’s SWAN program complete a list of enriching music education activities to earn a swag bag of prizes from generous local businesses.
Studies have shown that music education has a positive effect on children’s emotional and intellectual growth, improves basic reading and math skills, and strengthens self esteem, self discipline, teamwork, and school attendance. Children involved in a music program are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college and are less likely to be involved in gangs, violence and substance abuse. Invest in our students today by contributing to this project!
