Discovery Concert Series

2018-2019 Series

Discovery Concerts are school-day performances at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts which illuminate orchestral music alongside historical and cultural themes and connect directly to Common Core State Standards and National Core Arts Standards.

To request tickets, submit a Program Registration form. Please book performances no later than 6 weeks in advance of the concert date. With questions, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page, or email the Assistant Manager of Education and Community Engagement, Miriam Engel, at mengel@hartfordsymphony.org.

Exploring Emotions

Tuesday, October 23, 2018 at 10:30am
The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Sponsored in part by 

We're bringing back an audience favorite! Young Noah is having a magical dream, where he arrives on a distant planet just in time to save its people from a fierce dragon. Join Noah for a thrilling ride to the other side of the galaxy, where he will learn what it takes not only to be strong and tough and brave, but also to be empathetic and kind and thoughtful.

Grade Level: K-5
Curriculum Focus: Social Studies, English/Language Arts
Fee: $10/ticket
Teacher's Guide: Exploring Emotions Teacher Guide

Carnival of the Animals

Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at 10:30am
The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts

It’s the grand opening of the Hartford Symphony Zoo! Join your friends the Lion, the Elephant, the Swan, and more for a musical celebration of the animal kingdom with Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals.

Grade Level: 1-5
Curriculum Focus: Science
Fee: $10/ticket
Teacher's Guide: Carnival of the Animals Teacher Guide

Link Up: The Orchestra Sings

Sponsored in part by 
Program created by   

Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at 10:30am
The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts

Link Up: The Orchestra Sings is a year-long music education curriculum about what makes a great melody. Developed by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, Link Up brings great repertoire and hands-on music learning from the classroom to the concert hall. The culminating performance on April 24 gives students the opportunity to sing and play their recorders along with the HSO, performing the music they have practiced throughout the year. For Hartford Public Schools.

Grade Level: 3-5
Curriculum Focus: Math, English/Language Arts
Fee: $10/ticket
Guides: The Orchestra Sings Teacher’s Guide | The Orchestra Sings Student Guide

Shoot for the Moon

Thursday, May 23, 2019 at 10:30am
The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts

A new HSO original production, this program celebrates what we can accomplish when we work hard to achieve our dreams. In a tribute to the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, students will explore music that celebrates astronomical and celestial bodies, as they discover how to make possible what may at first seem impossible.

Grade Level: 1-5
Curriculum Focus: Social Studies, English/Language Arts, Science
Fee: $10/ticket
Teacher's Guide: Coming soon!

To request tickets, submit a Program Registration form. Please book performances no later than 6 weeks in advance of the concert date. With questions, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page, or email the Assistant Manager of Education and Community Engagement, Miriam Engel, at mengel@hartfordsymphony.org.