The Hot Springs/Hot Springs Village Symphony Guild invited Garland County third through sixth-graders to experience a memorable performance by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra on Oct. 17 in Hot Springs.
The annual event began 12 years ago and has grown and expanded over time to include the 2,900 students who attended this week from across area school districts.
The ASO selected "Story Time" to be this year's theme, which connected the music to literature. Curriculum written specifically to the age and grade level of students included lessons and literacy activities tied to favorite tales including Harry Potter and Mickey Mouse, a news release said.
Materials were written so that students could enjoy the music and reflect through lessons tied to current Arkansas standards in literacy, math, science and social studies, as well as music and art. Teachers were oriented at the beginning of the school year to tie theme and tie it to updated curriculum, and have access to the free curriculum so that they can weave content into lessons before and after the fall performance each October, it said.
"We are so proud for our students to have the opportunity to see memorable performances of this caliber," said Adriane Barnes, communications and public relations coordinator for Hot Springs School District.
The school districts pay a small fee for each students and the remaining cost is underwritten by the Symphony and community donors -- foundations, businesses, service organizations and over 50 individuals.
"I believe that the arts are inherent in our culture and reflective of everything we are and do. This experience illustrates for students how music isn't a stand-alone thing. It tells a story," said Martha Smither, guild board member, children's concert coordinator and board president of Arkansas Learning Through The Arts. "I hope that the unique music presented each year inspires our children to learn about things that may be outside their horizons."
The Symphony Guild organized the day at Bank OZK Arena and was fortunate to have more than 50 volunteers who made it possible. The Guild partnered with Arkansas Learning Through The Arts to create the complementary curriculum for the music which includes a student journal for each child and a teacher's guide and DVD of the music with illustrative graphics, the release said.
Over the years, development of the curriculum has been heavily influenced by HSSD teachers including this year Sue DeLeon, Becky Counts and Casey Wylie, who made practical suggestions for related classroom activities in the instructional materials.
The educational materials are available at the HS/HSV Symphony Guild website, http://www.symphonyguild.org, for the 2018 theme, as are the materials for the past three years. The student journal contains YouTube references so students can share the music again with their families.
Information about becoming a Guild member or supporting future Children's Concerts is available online.
Entertainment on 10/22/2018