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SAINT LOUIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
 RECEIVES $50,000 IN GRANTS
FROM THREE DIFFERENT DONORS 

Grants To Support Symphony’s Education and Community Efforts 

            ST. LOUIS, August 21, 2007 - The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra announced that it has received three grants in support of its innovative education programs. The National Endowment for the Arts has awarded a grant of $30,000 to support the Orchestra’s “Adopt-A-School” program in the 2007-08 academic year. Now entering its sixth year, Adopt-A-School is an initiative by which the SLSO collaborates closely with a few area schools to provide in-depth and ongoing music education services throughout the year. The NEA grant includes the implementation of a 16-week curriculum at three schools: Ames Visual and Performing Arts and Shaw Visual and Performing Arts, magnet elementary schools in the St. Louis Public School District, and Long Elementary in the Lindbergh School District. The grant has enabled the SLSO to hire a part-time instructor for one year who will deliver the weekly presentations to students, work with the schools’ 2^nd grade classroom and music teachers in connecting the SLSO’s music education curriculum with the general reading curriculum and equip them to continue the program in following years. The curriculum also includes a performance component in which the students will learn basic percussion skills and perform for their peers. The NEA grant also supports free in-school visits by SLSO musician ensembles, free tickets to SLSO education concerts for participating classrooms, video documentation of presentations for future Internet use, and outside program evaluation services. Adopt-A-School receives additional generous funding through a three-year grant from the MetLife Foundation.

            A grant of $15,000 from the William E. Weiss Foundation, recommended by Foundation trustee Dwyer Brown and his wife, Nancy Reynolds, will support the SLSO’s professional development opportunities for those of its musicians desiring to improve and enhance their presentation skills, particularly for educational programs. Small musician ensembles will work closely with a local educational training consultant and teachers in developing and refining programs to maximize student learning.

            The grant will also support and expand the Symphony Volunteer Association’s “Instrument Playground” program, which brings instrument family “kits” into schools at no charge so that students may enjoy a hands-on experience with every instrument in a traditional symphony orchestra. The kits include working instruments, instructions and activity ideas for teachers.

“Nancy and I were introduced to the Symphony through Scott Parkman and the family concert series,” notes Brown. “Scott’s ability to communicate about the music to our young children was really remarkable and completely hooked them on classical music. We wanted to help the Symphony expand in reaching out to other children and families.”

            Local book distributor The Booksource and its chief executive officer, Sandy Jaffe, have made a unique and exciting commitment to the SLSO for the 2007-08 school year. In the last two years, SLSO musicians have created in-school presentations which include reading a book aloud to students and enhancing the story with live music examples. Mr. Jaffe has pledged $5,000 to underwrite these musician visits for the year, and The Booksource will donate books ($14,000 retail value) to distribute to every student who attends one of these presentations.

“The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is as important to this city as the Cardinals, the Arch, and the universities,” says Jaffe. “Maintaining our culture and spirit as a community is vital to our growth and reputation.”

The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) has been a source of pride for the St. Louis region since its founding in 1880.  The SLSO has earned a reputation as a first-tier orchestra through generations of excellent performances, through its mastery of a wide-ranging repertoire, and a tradition of partnering with leading musical artists from around the world. Led by innovative American-born conductor David Robertson, the Orchestra continues to strive for artistic excellence, fiscal responsibility and community connection.

            In addition to its regular concert performances at Powell Symphony Hall, the SLSO is an integral part of the St. Louis community, presenting more than 250 free education and partnership programs in the community each year.