Fourth Grade Visits the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Our 4th grade students recently returned from an exciting field trip to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Attending a school concert at the CSO is an annually planned field trip for 4th grade and serves to enhance our music appreciation curriculum and connect our students with one of the many great music organizations and experiences available in our city. 

We prepared and were excited to attend the concert, which included the compositions “Dance of the Comedians” by Czech composer Smetana and parts of “Pictures at an Exhibition” by Russian composer Mussorgsky. African-American conductor Thomas Wilkins engaged with the audience in a lively manner by asking questions and giving explanations for each piece, thus helping students better connect with the music and the orchestra musicians and listen for specific important moments in these compositions. It was an enriching experience for us all.