The FWSU Story: Vermont Symphony Orchestra and “Musical Petting Zoo”

Education and community collaboration have always been an important part of the VSO’s statewide mission, and recently the Georgia Elementary and Middle School played host to their expertise. Elementary students in grades K-4, along with the support and help of seasoned 7th and 8th grade musicians from Georgia, were given the opportunity to participate in a “Musical Petting Zoo.”

During VSO’s visit to our school, students were provided with a wonderful experience in gaining knowledge about the diversity of instruments that make up the brass, woodwinds, and strings section of the orchestra, from the VSO “Zookeeper”, Toby Aronson. As Toby demonstrated each instrument students could hear and understand why each member of the various musical sections make the sounds they do. Children learned about the materials used to make the variety of instruments, the shape, bends and diameter of tubes within different brass instruments, and how the contour and use of wood species changes the final creation of every sound.

Before you knew it, a variety of beautiful tones and pitches filled the small gymnasium as “soon to be” musicians tried out every instrument the zookeeper shared. Helpful students from the middle school band provided guidance and their expertise as they coached their younger peers. Not letting them give up and providing skilled feedback accomplished many smiles across the grade levels as new friendships were created.

Here is a LINK to the Vermont Symphony Orchestra website and the variety of Symphony Kids presentations the VSO offers local schools. Every time, throughout the past years in our school, the VSO has provided our students with extremely educational and engaging learning opportunities that promote music and the importance it has in our schools.