Education Through Music “The Simply Symphonic program has provided our students a magnificent opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge about the amazing world of orchestral music. Students and staff look forward to the visits by musicians and docents, as well as the exciting curriculum accompanying the program. Clearly, each year’s program offerings reflect the tremendous effort expended to bring quality learning experiences to our fifth-grade students.” Dorothy P. Williams, Ed. D. Director, Elementary Education Tacoma Public Schools Now in its 10th year, Simply Symphonic is the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra’s award-winning education outreach program, serving 6,500 fifth-grade students and parents in Pierce, Thurston and South King Counties. Through Simply Symphonic, TSO reaches over 225 classrooms in 14 school districts, as well as many home school students. Simply Symphonic has been nationally recognized for its integrated curriculum approach. The program provides classroom teachers with materials that include hands-on musical lessons and a customized CD of musical excerpts and pieces that demonstrate learning objectives. In fact, Simply Symphonic teaches to the Washington State Essential Learning Requirements in science, math, reading and communication, and the program already supports new arts standards for music to be implemented in 2008! Simply Symphonic lessons and activities are enhanced by the direct involvement of TSO’s professional musicians as they make classroom visits or establish residencies with many of the participating schools. (Priority is given to those schools with a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch rates.) Simply Symphonic culminates in a live performance by the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra. For three busy days in May, fifth-graders board buses and head to the historic Pantages Theater for a concert that is built around the themes and ideas they have learned in their classrooms. In all, six concerts will be performed, providing thousands of youth with their first live symphonic music experience! Simply Symphonic is made possible with generous community funding received from individual donors, corporations and foundations. These funds supplement the nominal per student fee of $3.00 and also provide 100% underwriting for the significant number of students who cannot afford the cost to participate. Don’t miss Simply Symphonic 2006, May 9,10 & 11 2006! For more information or to register, call 253-272-7264. (Those interested in supporting Simply Symphonic can contact the TSO development office at the same number.) Simply Symphonic is the 2003 recipient of the Pierce County Arts Commission Margaret K. Williams Award and is a National Endowment for the Arts Learning for the Arts and Children 2005 funding recipient.