Carnegie Hall's LINK UP: THE ORCHESTRA SINGS Free Online Concert Now Available

For 37 seasons, Carnegie Hall's Link Up music education program has facilitated deeper connections between the concert hall and the classroom through a highly participatory instrument-focused curricula that introduces elementary schoolchildren to the orchestra. A new online concert-Link Up: The Orchestra Sings-is now available for teachers, students, and families everywhere. Throughout the school year, NYC elementary schoolchildren in grades 3-5 have studied the accompanying curriculum, which explores what makes a great melody. When the annual Link Up school concerts couldn't take place this spring at Carnegie Hall, the Hall's Weill Music Institute (WMI) sprung into action to create a meaningful culminating concert experience for students.

To film Link Up: The Orchestra Sings-featuring one of four Link Up curricula developed by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute-Carnegie Hall created its own orchestra comprised of local musicians including Kelly Hall-Tompkins (Fiddler on the Roof), Edward W. Hardy (The Woodsman) & Hamilton Berry (PUBLIQuartet), alumni from the Hall's national youth ensembles for stellar teen musicians and Ensemble Connect, the fellowship program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the New York City Department of Education. Professionally filmed at Purchase College, State University of New York by Habib Azar, the concert was directed by Melissa Mahon and Dan Scully acted as visual designer. Educator and conductor Daniel Bartholomew Poyser leads the Link Up orchestra and the concert also features elementary school students from Poly Prep Country Day School and Success Academy in Brooklyn performing in the concert and joining as student hosts.

Two new works are featured on the concert: a new arrangement of the traditional freedom song, "We Shall Not Be Moved," arranged by Haitian American composer Nathalie Joachim and an orchestral arrangement of "Ram Tori Maya"-which is based on a Hindustani bhajan-by Indian American composer Reena Esmail. For a preview of the concert click here.

"We are so excited to share this special new concert from Link Up with teachers in New York City," said Sarah Johnson, Carnegie Hall's Chief Education Officer and Director of the Hall's Weill Music Institute. "We are grateful to Daniel Bartholomew Poyser and all of the musicians who make up the dynamic Link Up orchestra, who bring to life the music that students across our city have been studying this year. Link Up continues to grow, with partners across the globe utilizing our materials to introduce schoolchildren to the orchestra and encourage them to play along. Over the past two years, we've seen how partners have adapted-again and again-to make sure their students have access to musical learning."

Educators can take a deeper dive into the curricula on Carnegie Hall's website and prospective partners may email linkup@carnegiehall.org for more information. Carnegie Hall is looking forward to welcoming back students for in-person Link Up school concerts in spring 2023.