With Maestro Richard Lee, the East Texas Symphony Orchestra performs for the 4th and 5th graders of Tyler ISD as part of the Carnegie Hall Link Up event. (Jennifer Scott/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Nearly 4,000 Tyler ISD students had the unique opportunity to perform alongside the East Texas Symphony Orchestra this week at Tyler High School.

Hosted by Tyler ISD Fine Arts, the Carnegie Hall Link Up program invited all fourth and fifth grade students in the district to sing and play recorders as part of an interactive concert experience at the high school’s Dr. Martin L. Edwards, Jr. Theatre.

“(Link Up) is a nationwide program where they try to have professional orchestras collaborate with elementary schools,” said Luke Dean, Tyler ISD Director of Visual and Performing Arts.

As part of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, Link Up engages students in grades 3-5 through a hands-on curriculum exploring orchestral repertoire. Since its start in 2003, the program culminates in a concert where students join the orchestra in making music, playing recorder or violin and singing along.

“They have various programs, and we’re doing one called The Orchestra Moves,” Dean said. “Every fourth and fifth grade student in Tyler ISD is experiencing orchestra music from around the world and different time periods. But beyond just listening, they get to actively participate, applying what they’ve learned in music class.”

In addition to The Orchestra Moves, programs also include The Orchestra Sings, The Orchestra Rocks and The Orchestra Swings.

Students also compose and perform their own pieces inspired by the orchestral works studied, according to the program.

“This is a curriculum,” said Robin Hampton, executive director of ETSO. “They’re learning rhythms, they’re learning basic note reading; sometimes they’re learning about classical music, they’re learning how classical music is part of today’s society and culture.”

Carnegie Hall provides the Link Up program at no cost, equipping teachers with a curriculum guide that includes repertoire for singing, recorder or violin, along with lesson plans, activities, and multimedia resources. Schools also receive student materials, orchestral scores, concert scripts, and professional development support through webinars and training.

According to Hampton, ETSO served as the primary local funder of the program, providing both the orchestra and support for implementing Carnegie Hall’s curriculum in participating schools. By partnering with Tyler ISD and other districts, the program helps fill a gap in instrumental music education at the elementary level.

“We’re excited that we can bring this to the community and we’re excited that Tyler Independent School District wants to embrace this and work with us,” Hampton said. “This prepares our elementary students for the next steps, to empower them to move forward. It’s great working with the school districts to do that.”

According to Link Up, participating organizations are responsible for bringing the program to life by organizing the concert, recruiting teachers and students, and hosting workshops to support educators. They also supply recorders if needed, handle logistics, and stay in touch with Carnegie Hall to share updates and post-concert reports.

To assist with outreach, Carnegie Hall provides branding guidelines, fundraising templates, and PR materials, along with ongoing guidance to ensure a smooth program experience.

The event spanned Tuesday and Wednesday, with 63 ETSO musicians — and Maestro Richard Lee — performing two concerts each day.

“They are an amazing group of professionals… they’ve been here since about 8:30 this morning, playing back-to-back concerts,” Hampton said on Wednesday morning.

The Tyler ISD District Honors Choir, student actors from Caldwell Arts Academy, Tyler High Drumline, and Tyler ISD Recorder Choir all joined the stage with ETSO.

As an educator of the performing arts, Dean hopes the young students will gain an appreciation and a love for a broader range of music, as well as the desire to be more involved in orchestra or in a choir.

“This gives them an experience that they usually don’t get to have,” he said. “There’s the Strings Program, the orchestra that we start mostly in middle school and high school (for our campuses). This kind of gives them a jump start on what different types of music are out there… and that maybe orchestra music isn’t your typical, boring classical music.”

For more information on how to participate in Carnegie Hall’s Link Up initiative, visit www.carnegiehall.org/Education/Programs/Link-Up.