Link Up

• Link up is a program of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute which partners with local orchestras, schools and communities to explore orchestral repertoire and fundamental musical skills in a year long curriculum.

• Skills learned include singing and playing recorder, listening skills, information about the orchestra and instrument families, creative work and composition.

• All fourth-grade students attend a culminating concert event in the spring where they perform from their seats with the Holland Symphony the music and skills they worked on all year.

• The Link Up curriculum is flexible and can be used alone or with other curriculums. It can also be adjusted to fit any situation, skill level and music class schedule.

Carnegie Hall's Link-Up program is an invaluable experience for 4th-grade students! Their Orchestra Moves program is musically inclusive, interactive, and paced with engagement in mind. This experience not only provides access to the symphony but also does so in a way that allows students to participate in music that represents international styles and multiple genres. The Holland Symphony, Turning Pointe dancers, Holland Recorder Group, and concert hosts create a truly unforgettable experience.

Diana Smolz, Music Teacher, Douglas Elementary Saugatuck

The following resource links are available to all participating teachers:

• Teacher Training Recording
  • Passcode: 0A%Qw0k!
• The Orchestra Moves Online Resources
• Teacher Training Presentation
• Moves Repertoire Summary
• Teacher's Guide
• Visual Scores
• Christopher Fashun Samba Workshop
• The Orchestra Map
• HSO Music Mentor Videos
• How to use Sound Slice
• Carnegie Hall Music Educator's Facebook page
• Carnegie Hall Link Up Facebook page
• Carnegie Hall's Music Educator's Tool Box
• About the Featured Recorder

What does the Link Up program provide?

• A Link Up Curriculum guide for each teacher with accompanying audio and video resources.
• Downloadable Link Up resources for students
• Access to Carnegie Hall’s online resources, including additional lessons and interactive classroom activities
• The culminating interactive concert with the full Holland Symphony
• Teacher recruitment and direct support including a professional development workshop.

The local schools will provide and fund:

• Music teachers or classroom teachers that conduct music classes
• Recorders
• Bus transportation to the concert (grant assistance may be available)
• Time in class and curriculum preparation. The teacher designs their own specific lesson plans.
• Approximately 1 hour of the participating teacher’s time for a mandatory training workshop.

For More Information contact Jayne Gort at 616-886-1344

2024-2025 School Year — The Orchestra Moves

• We presented "The Orchestra Moves" with the final culminating concert at the Jack H. Miller Performing Arts Center at Hope College on March 18, 2025: 2025 Concert Video
• There were 19 schools, 15 teachers and 1221 fourth grade students participating from: New Groningen, North Holland, Pine Creek, Zeeland Christian, Lakewood, Waukazoo, Woodside, Woodbridge, Douglas, Innocademy, Adams, Quincy, Lakeshore, Sheldon Woods, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Rose Park Christian, Great Lakes and Holland Language Academy.

2023-2024 School Year — The Orchestra Moves

• We presented "The Orchestra Moves" with the final culminating concert at the Jack H. Miller Performing Arts Center at Hope College on March 11, 2024: 2024 Concert Video
• There were 22 schools, 18 teachers and 1348 fourth grade students participating from: Calvary Schools of Holland, Rose Park Christian, Holland Christian Pine Ridge, Southside, Innocademy, Douglas Elementary, Lakeshore, Sheldon Woods, Waukazoo, Lakewood, North Holland, Pine Creek, Great Lakes, Zeeland Christian, Roosevelt, Quest, Woodbridge, New Groningen, Quincy, Adams and Lincoln.

2022-2023 School Year – The Orchestra Moves

• We presented the “Orchestra Moves” with the final culminating concert at the Holland Civic Center Place.
• Schools participating: Roosevelt and Quest, Calvary Schools of Holland, New Gronigen, Waukazoo Elementary, Lakewood Elementary, Quincy Elementary, Lincoln, Holland Christian Pine Ridge, Great Lakes Elementary, Glenn Public School, Woodbridge, Zeeland Christian, Lakeshore Elementary, Sheldon Woods, Woodside, North Holland, Pine Creek, Adams, Innocademy, Holland Christian Home School students.  
• We had 17 teachers participating with approximately 1300 students.  

2021-2022 School Year – The Orchestra Rocks

• We presented the “Orchestra Rocks” with the final culminating concert at Zeeland East Auditorium:  2022 Concert Video
• Schools participating included:    Adams Elementary, Fennville,  Waukazoo, Lakewood, North Holland, Pine Creek, Great Lakes, Woodbridge, Woodside, Zquest and Roosevelt, New Gronigen, Zeeland Christian, Quincy, Lakeshore, Sheldon Woods and Lincoln Elementary schools.  
• There were 1462 students and 15 teachers participating this year.  Several schools were still under COVID restrictions and unable to participate or play recorder.  

2020-2021 School Year – The Orchestra Sings

• COVID restrictions continued for the concert venues and the student activities. Many of the schools had remote classrooms or outdoor classrooms. Teachers were creative in how they presented the materials. Our music mentors prepared videos about their instruments and the final concert was a video that incorporated the work the students accomplished.
• Final concert video: 2020 Final Concert Video
• School systems participating: Black River School, Fennville Public schools, Hamilton Community Schools, Holland Public Schools, Innocademy, Saugatuck Public Schools, West Ottawa Public Schools, Zeeland Public Schools
• 1766 Students, 20 teachers, 26 elementary schools
• Thank YOU for saying THANK YOU!

2019-2020 School Year – The Orchestra Sings

• Because of COVID state restrictions, our final concert was canceled the week it was scheduled to take place. All of the activities during the year occurred, including music mentor visits to the schools.
• Schools participating: Black River Public School, Fennville Public Schools, Holland Christian Home School, Holland Public Schools, Saugatuck Public Schools, West Ottawa Public Schools, Zeeland Christian and Zeeland Public
• 1767 students, 19 teachers and 24 elementary schools

2018-2019 School Year – The Orchestra Sings

• Click to watch a short video from our 2019 Link Up program: Show highlights video
• Schools participating: Saugatuck Public Schools, Fennville Elementary, Schools, select Zeeland Public Schools, Zeeland Christian, Holland Christian Home School Connections, Holland Public, West Ottawa select schools.
• 18 teachers, 1320 students, 19 schools

The Holland Symphony works with all schools along the West Michigan Lakeshore.

If you are interested in becoming a part of our Link Up experience, please contact Jayne Gort at 616-886-1344 or kjgort@prodigy.net. You can also reach our staff through the office at 616-796-6780 or hso@hollandsymphony.org

To register your school, sign up here!

If you are a teacher that is signed up and missed the training session, you can view it here.