Music Triumphs

Music cannot be silenced—not even by COVID. The Boston Symphony Orchestra is meeting the challenges of bringing music into schools with a series of opportunities.

“I can’t imagine a more important time for people of all ages to immerse themselves in music and learning and take a much-needed break from the many challenges of our time,” says Thomas Wilkins, BSO’ artistic advisor for education and community engagement. “We hope our first-ever Youth and Family concert streams will provide inspiration, insights, and much joy to our many fans young and old, near and far.”

On March 5th, at noon, the BSO will release its first-ever online BSO Youth Concert stream, newly recorded for the BSO NOW online concert platform at www.bso.org/now. Wilkins—celebrated for his ability to communicate about music and its power with audiences of all ages—leads the program, entitled I Really Thought I Couldn’t: A Musical Look at Self-Doubt, relating this theme to special musical selections by Beethoven, Dvořák, Prokofiev, Schuman, Still, Tchaikovsky, and Vaughan Williams.

Berkshire County public schools have access to the online concert free of charge; other school systems can view the stream through a pick-your-price model, with a suggested fee of $20 per classroom or $100 per school. Supplementary materials, created in collaboration with the BSO’s Educators Advisory Council, are available online at www.bso.org.youthconcert2021.

In addition, Wilkins will host and curate Music Triumphant: Light in the Midst of Darkness for BSO NOW donors of $100 or more, starting April 5th. The program will be released to the general public, free of charge, May 13th and will be available through June 30th.

An archival concert, Music Triumphant: Light in the Midst of Darkness features inspiring performances by the BSO under several different conductors and the concert includes works by Beethoven, Brahms, Holst, and Rachmaninoff.