FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Nick Dobreff, Communications and Creative Director
616.485.3913 (m) – 303.308.2477 (o)
ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org
COLORADO SYMPHONY UNVEILS 2026/27 COMMUNITY & LEARNING PROGRAMS
Students and community members of all ages will have the chance to engage with the Colorado Symphony through innovative, community-focused programming. Reserve your spot today!
Aug. 3, 2026 – Denver, CO – The Colorado Symphony is thrilled to announce its lineup of Community & Learning programs for the upcoming 2026/27 Season. With a commitment to providing high-quality symphonic programming to Coloradans throughout the state, the Colorado Symphony is set to deliver an inspiring array of community and educational experiences through in-person and virtual performances, bilingual programming, and collaborations with local artists and organizations.
“At the Colorado Symphony, we believe music has the power to inspire, connect, and create meaningful experiences that last a lifetime,” said Liz Smokowski, Vice President of Community Engagement & Impact. “Our 2026/27 Community & Learning programs are designed to spark curiosity, foster creativity, and ensure that community members across Colorado can experience the transformative power of live music. We are proud to create opportunities for all people to see themselves reflected in the arts and to build lasting connections with music and their communities.”
New this season is a program called “Music in Motion” where audiences can experience a one-time workshop or ongoing series with Colorado Ballet and Colorado Symphony where older adults, including those experiencing various stages of memory loss, explore music and dance through familiar live melodies, guided movement, and creative expression. Activities support mobility, strength, flexibility, balance, and circulation while encouraging joy, improvisation, and community connection through adaptable seated or standing participation options.
The 2026/27 Community & Learning Season will feature a host of creative programs including:
Emotional Modulations Youth Concerts
Each year, thousands of students come to Boettcher Concert Hall for an engaging concert experience, with many experiencing live, symphonic music for the first time. This year’s Youth Concert theme, “Emotional Modulations”, explores how music expresses real, shifting emotions – sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle. In collaboration with Opera Colorado, Colorado Ballet and CPR’s, Kabin Thomas as host, we will explore the way we feel inside: from restless to relief, tension to calm, sadness to hope, and how music and human emotions are intertwined.
Buzz, Wiggle, Sing! / ¡Zumbidos, Movimiento y Canciones! Mini Música
Join members of the Colorado Symphony for Mini Música: Buzz, Wiggle, Sing! a bilingual story time adventure featuring fascinating bug friends! Narrated by Aria Dragon, a 16-piece orchestra accompanies readings of Colorado-authored books, including “Bugly” by Tom Peacock and “The Night Chorus” by Niki Knaub. Families will sing, dance, and explore the world of insects through music, movement, and storytelling.
Presented in partnership with Butterfly Pavilion.
NEW THIS SEASON: Music In Motion
Experience a one-time workshop or ongoing series with Colorado Ballet and Colorado Symphony where older adults, including those experiencing various stages of memory loss, explore music and dance through familiar live melodies, guided movement, and creative expression. Activities support mobility, strength, flexibility, balance, and circulation while encouraging joy, improvisation, and community connection through adaptable seated or standing participation options. Inquiries can be made by filling out this registration form.
Sensory Friendly Concerts
Join Phamaly Theatre Company and the Colorado Symphony for a holiday-themed cabaret! This relaxed performance will feature a live string quartet of Colorado Symphony musicians and actors from Phamaly Theatre Company. Sing along with your favorite holiday tunes and enjoy heartwarming stories and monologues.
*The shows will include accommodations such as complimentary fidget toys, dimmed house lights during the concert, captions, and an adapted program. ASL interpretation and audio description will also be available.
Open Rehearsals
Throughout the season, our Open Rehearsals provide students and educators with a chance to observe a professional orchestra in action. Perfect for high school and university students, these rehearsals allow attendees to see musicians as they collaborate, refine their repertoire, and receive guidance from world-class conductors.
*Post-rehearsal Q & A’s may be available during select Open Rehearsals.
Musician Visits
Work with a Colorado Symphony musician! Every year, Colorado Symphony musicians travel to schools, libraries, hospitals, and other community spaces across Colorado to meaningfully engage with their community. Whether through instrument demonstrations, coaching for music students, or advising students interested in pursuing a career in performing arts, Colorado Symphony Musician Visits offer a flexible, engaging performance or learning extension. Visits can be custom built based on the organizer’s needs and are great for any age.
Free Virtual Concerts & Curriculum
Recognizing the importance of accessibility, the Colorado Symphony is happy to continue offering free access to our virtual education package, including virtual concert performances, curricular materials, and digital activity books for the 2026-27 season for families, schools, and educators who face barriers to participating in person.
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For a complete list of Colorado Symphony Community & Learning programs, click here.
Colorado Symphony Community & Learning programs are brought to you through the generous support of donors and foundations including The Schoen Foundation, The Anschutz Foundation, The Butler Family Fund, Singer Family Foundation, Ralph L. and Florence R. Burgess Trust, Transamerica Foundation, PNC Foundation, Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), Riverfront Park Community Foundation, The Schramm Foundation, and the Colorado Symphony Guild.
“At the Colorado Symphony, we remain deeply committed to ensuring our learning programs are accessible to all,” added Smokowski. “Our musicians and organization believe in the profound, transformative power of music, and we’re immensely thankful to the generous donors and foundations who make this work possible and help inspire the next generation of music lovers.”
Reservations for Colorado Symphony Learning programs can be made by visiting coloradosymphony.org/education. For more information about Colorado Symphony Community Learning programs, please visit https://coloradosymphony.org/communitylearning/ or email ceilearning@coloradosymphony.org.
For more information about the Colorado Symphony, visit coloradosymphony.org or call 303.623.7876.
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CONTACT:
For more information or to request interviews, please contact:
Nick Dobreff, Communications and Creative Director
ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org – 303.308.2477 (o)
For high-resolution, downloadable images of the Colorado Symphony, contact: ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org
Support for the 2026/27 Colorado Symphony Season is provided by: The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), Denver Arts & Venues, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, CU Anschutz, The Schoen Foundation, and the Colorado Symphony Guild.
TICKETS:
Tickets to Colorado Symphony events are available online at coloradosymphony.org/tickets, by phone at 303.623.7876, and in person at the Boettcher Concert Hall Box Office, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1000 14th Street. The Box Office is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, noon – 5 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance.
ABOUT THE COLORADO SYMPHONY
One of the leading orchestras in the United States, the Colorado Symphony Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization performing more than 150 concerts annually at Boettcher Concert Hall in downtown Denver and across Colorado. Led by Peter Oundjian as its Music Director as of the 2025/26 season, the Colorado Symphony is home to eighty full-time musicians representing more than a dozen nations and regularly welcomes the world’s most celebrated artists from across musical genres. The orchestra celebrated its Centennial during the 2023/24 concert season and now serves more than 340,000 people each year through live performances at Boettcher Concert Hall, Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre, and other venues throughout Colorado’s Front Range. Boettcher Concert Hall, which opened in 1978, was the first in-the-round symphonic venue built in the United States. In November 2025, voters passed the Vibrant Denver Bond, which allocates $20 million to a future renovation of the concert hall. Guided by a vision to inspire and unite humanity through live symphonic music, the Colorado Symphony is a living heartbeat of the state — expressing its beauty, creativity, vitality, and inclusive spirit. Through unmatched artistry and bold innovation, the Symphony inspires Colorado and audiences everywhere while expanding access, fostering education, and creating lasting memories through meaningful personal connections. Recognized as an incubator of innovation, creativity, and excellence, the Colorado Symphony listens to and learns from its diverse communities, musicians, and staff; composes and creates with curiosity and versatility; and leads with empathy, collaboration, and responsible stewardship. The Symphony continually expands its reach through in-person and virtual education programs, community partnerships, and programming that celebrates achievement, honors diverse voices, and infuses joy on and off the stage. The Colorado Symphony partners with leading musical artists, cultural organizations, corporations, foundations, educators, sports teams, and individuals to connect people, uplift communities, and inspire everyone to feel part of something greater.