Music has a unique power to unite and inspire and the Colorado Symphony is dedicated to making symphonic music accessible to everyone, believing that thriving communities are built when music is shared by all.
Your support of the Colorado Symphony goes beyond the notes heard in Boettcher Concert Hall. It resonates throughout the state, reaching into communities, local businesses, and schools, where it inspires the next generation and enriches the cultural fabric of Colorado.
With an annual economic impact of $30 million, the Colorado Symphony not only enhances Denver’s national profile but also contributes to a higher quality of life for both current and future generations. Yet the most profound influence is felt in classrooms and practice studios across Colorado, where 74% of the Symphony’s full-time musicians also serve as music educators or offer private lessons. As one of Colorado’s largest full-time arts employers, the Symphony provides essential support to the state’s performing arts landscape.
Community engagement is at the heart of the Colorado Symphony’s mission. Each year, nearly 30,000 children, students, and adults participate in our educational and community programs, both at Boettcher Concert Hall and across the Denver metro area, experiencing the enriching world of symphonic music. Recent efforts to prioritize accessibility and deepen community involvement have elevated these programs even further.
A recent partnership with Aurora Central High School (ACHS) has created high impact programming and delivered mentorship and coaching opportunities to students. Since its inception in 2022, the partnership has provided over 250 hours of mentorship to ACHS students. The program includes sectionals for both band and orchestra students and side-by-side performances with those musicians at school concerts, supporting the school’s music program after the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In recent years, the Colorado Symphony has also strengthened its relationship with El Sistema Colorado, prioritizing greater accessibility for the program’s students and their families. While the Symphony has historically supported El Sistema, the past three years have marked a deeper partnership aimed at breaking down barriers and fostering a stronger connection between the two organizations. This effort began in 2022 with discussions between the Symphony and Ingrid Larragoity, El Sistema’s Executive Director, resulting in a series of new offerings designed to engage El Sistema’s students more directly with the Symphony and Boettcher Concert Hall.
One highlight of this expanded collaboration was the introduction of a special El Sistema Night Out at the Symphony. This event featured El Sistema Colorado’s top ensemble participating in sectionals with Symphony musicians, a backstage rehearsal, a lobby performance, and an opportunity to attend a Symphony concert—completely free of charge. Building on this success, the partnership has continued to evolve, with new initiatives such as a side-by-side performance during the Mexican Cultural Center’s Dia del Niño event and regular sectionals integrated into El Sistema’s programming. The upcoming season promises even more impact, with monthly sectionals culminating in a spring concert collaboration, further solidifying the Colorado Symphony’s commitment to nurturing young talent in the community.
The Colorado Symphony continues to be an agent of social development in the community by enhancing music appreciation, providing unforgettable entertainment, and using music to touch the depths of the human spirit. But the most meaningful impact will come from connecting with the next generation who will become the artists, educators, and music enthusiasts of tomorrow.
Each year, Colorado Symphony musicians perform alongside the Denver Young Artists Orchestra (DYAO), one of the leading youth orchestras in the country, formed in 1977 by musicians from the then Denver Symphony Orchestra. In 2018, a strategic alliance was formed between the two organizations, which has ensured that young musicians in the DYAO have even greater access to and mentorship from the musicians of the Colorado Symphony. That relationship has been enhanced in the years since, with the 2023 hiring of Associate Conductor Wilbur Lin who also serves as DYAO Music Director, and the DYAO staff sharing office space with the Colorado Symphony staff. The two organizations also collaborate on annual sectionals, the annual Side-by-Side concert with Colorado Symphony musicians, lobby performances, and special access to masterclasses with guest artists and conductors.
“I believe exposing children to diverse art forms can open up opportunities and inspire them in meaningful ways.”
Danielle Guideri, Colorado Symphony Cellist
In addition to DYAO and El Sistema Colorado, Colorado Symphony musicians participate in many other youth-based music programs throughout Colorado including Front Range Youth Symphony and Rocky Ridge Music Center.
Colorado Symphony musicians are extending their passion for education beyond the concert hall by creating unique programs for schools and their own communities. Many of these musicians take the initiative to design original concert experiences tailored specifically for educational settings. Longtime former Colorado Symphony cellist David Mullikin, for instance, wrote his own in-school programs like Jack and the Beanstalk and The Story of Paul Bunyan, bringing classical music to life for students. Continuing this tradition, musicians like violinist Karen Kinzie now curate community concerts with themes such as “Movie Music” and “Holiday Music”. These programs are repurposed for schools, libraries, nursing homes, and other local venues, reflecting the Symphony’s deep commitment to outreach and engagement.
“I have been involved in Colorado Symphony education and community programs for over three decades,” said Colorado Symphony violinist Karen Kinzie. “One of the key reasons I have participated in these programs for so many years is that I feel it is important for us to go to them. When audiences (whether students or adults) come to the full symphony in a large hall, it can seem a bit impersonal. With small programs that go out in the community to schools and retirement centers, it is much more up close and personal, and the audiences can hear us talk, rather than just play.”
This connection between symphony musicians and the community extends further with new in-school offerings that combine music with interdisciplinary learning. The Symphony is developing programs that meet state education standards, with pilot themes exploring subjects like the water cycle through music and a geography-themed journey across America. For some musicians, these visits take on a personal touch, as they perform at their own children’s schools, fostering meaningful connections between music and education at a personal level. This dedication highlights how the Symphony continues to make a profound impact within schools and the broader community.
“Since my children started school, I’ve been visiting their classes a few times a year to talk about classical music and play the cello for them,” said Colorado Symphony cellist Danielle Guideri. “Over time, I’ve noticed their questions have become more knowledgeable, showing how just a few visits can spark curiosity and growth. I believe exposing children to diverse art forms can open up opportunities and inspire them in meaningful ways.”
As the Colorado Symphony looks towards the future, the goal remains clear: to provide programming and experiences that allow students and the community to not only experience the live sounds of symphonic music, but to see themselves in the music, in its musicians, and in Boettcher Concert Hall. That includes additional inclusive programming featuring bilingual performances, repertoire from an array of diverse composers, and continued efforts to reach more school districts across the state through in person performances and the distribution of virtual content. The Colorado Symphony is still capable of so much more, and with your help, we can make that vision a reality.
Consider a donation today and help maintain this thriving ecosystem of support for years to come. The future of live symphonic music belongs to all of us and together we can make a lasting impact on Colorado for generations to come. Your support today will allow the Colorado Symphony to provide in-person and virtual education content to schools around the state and open doors for new and innovative future opportunities.
To learn how you can get involved, contact Breanna McCaughey, Director of Community Education, at bmccaughey@coloradosymphony.org. To become a supporter of the Colorado Symphony you can contribute online or contact Amanda Gomez, Director of Individual Giving, at agomez@coloradosymphony.org.