The DSO provides music for all ages across Durham and surrounding areas. Our Education and Community Outreach programs make classical music accessible for all audiences in schools, care facilities, library, community centers, as well as our performance halls.
DSO Young Vocalist Award
The Durham Symphony Orchestra has a decades-long tradition of encouraging young and gifted musicians’.
The first Stephen Prystowsky/Durham Symphony Orchestra Young Vocalist Award was awarded in our 2019 season.
This newly initiated award, included a two thousand dollar cash prize and a performance with the DSO as they saluted the American Women’s Suffrage Centennial at the Carolina Theater on June 16, 2019.
The award money has been graciously donated by Stephen Prystowsky, former President of the North Carolina Opera and currently a member of the Metropolitan Opera Board of Directors. He has a long history of being devoted to cultivating opera stars of the future with his involvement in the Met’s famed Lindemann Singers Program.
Free Community Concerts
Each year the DSO plays free concerts in the community, combining favorite classical music with popular tunes from movies and radio. It is a great way to relax and enjoy the best of what the DSO has to offer.
Mini Maestro Concerts
The DSO strives to reach audience members of all ages and provide family-friendly concerts where all ages can come and enjoy the music. These shows will also include interactive qualities that will encourage the curiosity of young audience members to explore future orchestra opportunities.
DSO Concert with Kidznotes at the Emily K Center
For more than a decade, the DSO has partnered with Kidznotes best students to produce a concert in which young musicians get to experience playing side-by-side with professional players.
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Education Community Partners
United Strings of Color’s mission is to address racial disparity in classical music through education and community engagement. The non-profit is dedicated to shedding light on the often-overlooked contribution of people of color to classical music and to developing emerging talent. Since 2018, the organization has studied and performed music by under-represented composers, such as the African Americans Florence Price and Undine Smith Moore; played music with African connections; and lent their voice to social justice awareness by performing Violin Vigils. In February 2025, they will present a full-length play with music entitled, “Conversations Between Black Music-Makers Who Helped Bring About Abolition”. Please visit our website: unitedstringsofcolor.org for more information.
United Strings of Color performed with us at our Holiday Pops concert in 2021, 2022, and 2024, and at Pops in the Park in 2023.
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Kidznotes is a music for social change program based on the El Sistema model of youth orchestras, which started in Venezuela and has now spread worldwide.
Kidznotes engages students pre-K through 12th grade in an intense out-of-school musical program that includes instrumental instruction, choir, music theory, general music, orchestra, and band.
Classes are taught by Teaching Artists who are committed to teaching young students. The program operates 12 hours per week, and 30+ weeks a year, with intensives throughout the summer.
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Community Music School of Raleigh (CMS) believes every child should have access to affordable, high-quality music education. CMS is the only organization in Wake County that provides personalized and 1 on 1 music instruction in multiple genres to students from families with limited financial resources. Thanks to the support of generous donors, music lessons are only $1 per week, and CMS provides all of the instruments. cmsraleigh.org
CMS performed with us at our Holiday Pops concert in December 2022.
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North Carolina Central University
In 1979, NCCU became the first university in the state to offer a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies. The program has since evolved to include a comprehensive vocal jazz component and the Master of Music degree in Jazz Composition and Jazz Performance. Brandon Seaforth, Jazz Studies student performed with the DSO at its’ 2021 Holiday Pops Concert.
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Maestro Curry at Chapel Hill High School
Maestro Curry visited the Chapel Hill High School’s Orchestra & AP Music Theory Classes for a wonderful lecture about Black History Month and being a professional conductor. He also worked with their Jazz Band. Here are a few pictures of the event!
