Middle School, High School & College Programs
We are grateful to our music education supporters for their dedication to the importance of the arts in the lives of young people.
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Ovations
The North Carolina Symphony is proud to offer Ovations, a pre-concert performance opportunity for student and community groups. Prior to select concerts, we invite small groups of advanced student musicians and community members to perform in the lobby of Meymandi Concert Hall.
Check back in August for information about our 2025/26 Ovations series!
Open Rehearsals
Students in middle and high school are invited to observe the dress rehearsal for a performance of the North Carolina Symphony in Meymandi Concert Hall.
Copland Symphony No. 3
Friday, October 17, 2025
10:00am-12:30pm (165 seats)
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
Samuel Almaguer, clarinet
Beethoven “Eroica” Symphony
Thursday, November 13
10:00am-12:30pm (400 seats)
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
Paul Watkins, cello
A Little Night Music
Thursday, January 29
10:00am-12:30pm (400 seats)
Sophie Mok, conductor
Tchaikovsky 1812 & Violin Concerto
Friday, February 20
10:00am-12:30pm (200 seats)
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
Vadim Gluzman, violin
Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1
Thursday, March 5
10:00am-12:30pm (400 seats)
Eduardo Strausser, conductor
Claire Huangci, piano
Mozart “Great” Mass
Thursday, April 9
7:00pm-9:30pm (400 seats)
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor
Amanda Forsythe, soprano
Mei Gui Zhang, soprano
Isaachah Savage, tenor
Harold Wilson, bass
North Carolina Master Chorale
Pictures at an Exhibition
Thursday, April 23
10:00am-12:30pm (200 seats)
Marcelo Lehninger, conductor
Maria Ioudenitch, violin
Guest Artist Master Classes
Throughout the season, the North Carolina Symphony hosts guest artist masterclasses, offering pre-selected students from Triangle-area community partners and youth organizations the chance to perform and receive expert guidance. These sessions, led by world-renowned musicians, are open to the public, providing a unique opportunity for all to observe, learn, and be inspired.
2025/26 Master Classes
The following guest artists have scheduled master classes as part of their collaboration with the Symphony. Watch this space for details!
Paul Watkins, cello (Nov 15, 2025)
Timothy McAllister, saxophone (Feb 7, 2026)
Vadim Gluzman, violin (Feb 21, 2026)
Anne-Marie McDermott, piano (Mar 21, 2026)
Musician Workshops
North Carolina Symphony musicians are available to visit public/charter middle and high schools across the state. To request a NCS musician visit your school and lead a sectional/workshop/clinic, please complete the form below. Requests will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Generous support has been provided by the Marilyn Ehrenshaft and John Williamson Young Musician Master Class Endowed Fund of the North Carolina Symphony.
Youth Concerto Competition
The North Carolina Symphony’s Kathleen Price and Joseph M. Bryan Youth Concerto Competition is North Carolina’s premier performance competition for young instrumentalists. The competition fosters the most promising musical talents in our state; winners have gone on to enter some of the world’s most prestigious music schools and perform with other acclaimed music organizations across the country.
The competition is open to candidates ages 13 to 23 and is divided into junior and young artist divisions. A panel of North Carolina Symphony musicians adjudicates preliminary and final rounds in Raleigh. The first- and second-prize winners in each division receive cash awards, with the first-prize senior division winner also earning the opportunity to perform on the NCS Ovations pre-concert performance series.
Contact
For more information about any of these programs, please contact the Education department at education@ncsymphony.org.