A young student playing violin in a GRS education program

Education & Community

Music for every kid in West Michigan

In classrooms, concert halls, and hospital rooms — the orchestra shows up across the region all year long.

Programs that meet kids where they are

Link Up with Carnegie Hall

A year of classroom curriculum that ends with thousands of students playing recorder and singing along with the full orchestra.

LolliPops concerts

One-hour first concerts for ages 3 to 8 — built for wiggling, wondering, and trying the instrument petting zoo.

Youth ensembles

The next generation of players rehearsing and performing side by side with the professionals on the same stage.

Music for Health

Musicians bring live performance into healthcare settings across the region, where music does quiet, serious work.

Access to Music

Sensory-friendly performances and programs that remove barriers between the orchestra and every member of the community.

Gateway to Music

School concerts and in-school visits that make the orchestra a normal, joyful part of growing up in Grand Rapids.

Teachers: bring your classroom. Every program has a school pathway, and buses are often covered.

Talk to the education team

These programs run on support

Education and community work is funded by donors, not ticket sales. A gift of any size puts instruments in hands and musicians in classrooms.