Dear Friends of Inside the Orchestra,  As we near the end of the fiscal year (June 30), I wanted to provide a few updates.  First of all, we are happy that parents and teachers continue to share their appreciation of our programs, for example:  “I cannot emphasize enough what an invaluable experience this (performance) was for our students.  This was true enrichment – exposure and context to the arts that would otherwise be absent from our student’s lives”- Denver Teacher  We have much to celebrate.  I’m pleased to share some highlights:  Fulfilling our ..read more

Musical Makerspace Fundraiser! Join us at this unique fundraising event benefiting Inside the Orchestra.  Guests will experience a magical day of family fun, where imagination meets melody.    Families will have the opportunity to dive into a world of colorful and fun art projects and activities alongside the enchanting sound of orchestral music.  Artistic experiences will include a variety of mediums including watercolor, clay, chalk, origami and more.   Get ready to explore a fun morning of laughter, inspiration and the beautiful sounds of our talented mus ..read more

Musical Yogis: A Yoga Class for the Entire Family  A Fundraiser Event for Inside the Orchestra Join Inside the Orchestra for a Family Yoga Experience! Come and immerse yourself in a delightful blend of yoga poses and enchanting melodies, where movement is synchronized with the rhythm of live orchestral music. Designed for ages 3 and up. Highlights of the Event: • Energizing yoga session suitable for the whole family • Live music to enhance relaxation and elevate your practice • Fun-filled class promoting mindfulness and connection • Experienced instructor guiding you every step of the way ..read more

Inside the Orchestra is starting the year off strong with big plans for Spring Tiny Tots: Ocean Adventure! In these programs, children and their families will sit encircled by our 30+piece orchestra and go on an immersive, interactive musical adventure! Let’s go behind the scenes with our Music Director and Arranger, Daniel Leavitt, aka Conductor Dan, to see what preparations are underway.  Our programs are designed specifically for children aged 0-7 and their families. We asked Conductor Dan how that changes the way he arrange and orchestrate our pieces. We have many discussions as a st ..read more

Reflecting on a Year of Meaningful Growth and Change Dear IO Community, As I reflect on my first year as the Executive Director of Inside the Orchestra, I am filled with gratitude for the  journey we’ve embarked on together. At the heart of our mission lies a commitment to ensuring young people have the opportunity to fall in love with orchestra music. We know the world of the orchestra should be a place for everyone, and we are committed to ensuring that our programs instill a sense of belonging in every attendee. The journey over the last year has been nothing short of inspiri ..read more

This activity is quick, easy, and mess-free! Ages: 3-8 You’ll need 10 orange pipecleaners (6-10 inches long) and 10 pieces of green pipecleaner cut to about 2 inches long. Skills: fine motor skills, color sorting, scissor skills, counting, and of course singing! Your little one can assist you with selecting the correct colors, cutting the two inch pieces down to size, and twisting and wrapping the orange end of the pipecleaner around their fingers If you have a younger or more wiggly hand model, you can wind your pipe-cleaners around a pencil or marker and then place them on their finge ..read more

Gustav Holst was a British composer who lived from 1874-1934. As a young man, Holst learned piano, violin, and trombone. However, he had poor eyesight, asthma, and neuritis, which made it difficult for him to perform, so he turned to composing. One of Holst’s most famous compositions is The Planets Suite, which he worked on from 1913 to 1916, long before man explored outer space. The entire suite is nearly an hour long, and contains a movement about each planet (besides Earth). It is based on astrology rather than astronomy, and every movement is titled after the planet and characteristic of t ..read more

In 1977, two identical spacecraft called Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched carrying two identical phonograph records. The records contained music and sounds that represented cultures and life from across the globe, just in case the probes ever came across alien life! Voyager 1 is currently the farthest manmade object from earth. It hasn’t encountered any aliens yet, but if aliens were ever to listen to the Golden Record, they would hear greetings from the people of earth in 55 languages, whale songs, traditional music from indigenous cultures, classical music, jungle sounds, rock and roll ..read more

We are gearing up for our Tiny Tots: Outer Space concerts in October and November! It’s going to be out of this world! It has us thinking about music in space. Did you know that many astronauts love to make music? It’s true! Some of them have even taken instruments with them into space. Astronaut Kjell Lindgren took his bagpipes with him. Astronaut Cady Coleman took her flute to the ISS and even played a duet with Ian Anderson (of Jethro Tull!) And that’s not all! Many astronauts have brought their instruments to space, including a didgeridoo, piano keyboard, guitar, Native American flute, a ..read more

We’re getting ready for Tiny Tots: Outer Space, so we have space on the brain! Let’s make a paper plate moon. This craft takes less than 5 minutes and costs less than $5! You’ll need: a paper plate, cotton balls (or pompoms), and washable paint in white and black. Optional: string and tape OR dark cardstock, glue, and white gel pen. This craft works great for kids 18 months-7 years. While you’re creating, listen to this playlist all about the Moon and Stars! Mix some white and black paint to make a pale grey color. Use your cotton balls or pom poms to dab the grey paint on the back of a ..read more