Meet the Maestro
Created in 2010 at the request of Pittsburgh Symphony's Music Director, Manfred Honeck, the Meet the Maestro program uses star power to connect families with classical music at its best. Using her contacts at the Pittsburgh Symphony and Carnegie Mellon University, Monique Mead coordinates the strengths of both institutions to spearhead this effective music education and audience development program.
Meet the Maestro is offered by invitation to schools with dedicated teachers and enthusiastic parent volunteers. Available to the teachers is a broad range of assemblies and workshops presented by Teaching Artists from the Pittsburgh Symphony and Carnegie Mellon University. With up to ten visits during the school year, Teaching Artists assist teachers in integrating music into the curriculum and preparing students for the concert experience. These may include...
- Music workshops in math, science, language arts, social studies, art, or history.
- Communication with Maestro Manfred Honeck.
- CDs of the concert pieces, customized for practical classroom use.
- Masterclasses or coachings for school ensembles.
- Assemblies by brass quintets, percussion ensembles, or string quartets.
- Visit by an internationally renowned soloist.
Schools are offered tickets at a discounted group rate, providing a family friendly Sunday afternoon at Heinz Hall with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
For “Meet the Maestro” families, this is no ordinary concert experience: by the time they arrive at Heinz Hall, students are familiar with the music, have made personal contact with PSO musicians and soloist, and are eager to see them on stage. Special concert-day bonuses include:
- Opportunity for excellent school ensembles to perform in the Grand Lobby of Heinz Hall before the concert.
- Mini Maestro: activities for children ages 5-8 during the first half so parents can enjoy the concert on their own.
- Opportunity to present flowers to the Maestro and soloists on stage.
- Exclusive reception with the Maestro and PSO friends after the concert.
- Opportunity to perform for the Maestro at the reception.
- Photographs, autographs, and large concert poster to hang at school.
This program draws thousands of new concertgoers annually, building passionate audiences for classical music and the Pittsburgh Symphony.
If you would like to be considered for this program, please contact Monique Mead.