New Haven Symphony Orchestra
Elementary school music programs have seen a drop in the number of students enrolling in band or orchestra. The pandemic has forced music teachers to abandon their typical recruiting methods. But now a coalition of Connecticut symphony orchestras has stepped in with a series of free, online services to encourage potential musicians to sign up.
Pre-COVID, school districts would have a hands-on type of demonstration so students can choose the right instrument. This typically happens the year before they are allowed in band and orchestra. In West Hartford, for instance, 3rd graders are taken to Conard High School where they hear the West Hartford Symphony play a concert, and get the chance to come on stage and hear the instruments up close before they make a choice.