Link Up Returns to Benaroya Hall, 4,000 Strong!

By Katrina Finder

It’s been a while since we’ve seen downtown Seattle filled with students and buses. But this past March, the streets came alive with the sounds of spirited chatter and laughter as 4,000 third, fourth and fifth graders from around the Puget Sound region descended on Benaroya Hall to take part in the Seattle Symphony’s Link Up concerts, happening in person for the first time since 2019.

And after such a long absence, the energy and excitement of this event could be felt throughout the Hall, leaving a lasting impression on all those who attended. “The students were super hyped,” said Pearson Elementary School teacher Tamera Rabura Hilder. “What an amazing experience for them.”

Originally developed by Carnegie Hall and hosted by more than 100 partner organizations worldwide, Link Up is a program and concert that invites students in grades 3–5 to sing and play with the orchestra Students and teachers work with the orchestra throughout the school year, beginning in the classroom with a guided curriculum that culminates at Benaroya Hall, where the students come together to perform the repertoire and apply the skills they’ve learned during the interactive concerts with the Seattle Symphony.

This year’s Link Up program, The Orchestra Rocks, focused on teaching students all about rhythm. And the Symphony's Education & Community Engagement team added a special element to the Carnegie Hall program: the Link Up world premiere of a work created from student-composed melodies that were developed during the learning sessions.

“My students now have a firsthand connection with the Seattle Symphony and Benaroya Hall [because of these concerts],” said John Hay Elementary School teacher Carol Burton. “The bridge has been made, and what more can we say than that?”

Presented over three days at Benaroya Hall, Link Up is a labor of love between Symphony musicians and staff, who work alongside the participating schools. “Organizing the Link Up concerts is a giant team effort! From working with the teachers throughout the school year to establishing the different volunteer teams the week it occurs,” said Seattle Symphony’s Family & Schools Programs Manager Vanessa Neri. “Everyone works together to make this the best musical experience for the students.”

“Bringing 4,000 students under one roof to perform together with the orchestra creates a joyful in-person connection and a celebration for the students’ year-long learning; an opportunity that the Seattle Symphony is uniquely positioned to provide in its home, Benaroya Hall,” said Senior Director of Education and Community Engagement Jérémy Jolley.

This celebration of learning and community was made possible through the support of our donor family. Donor support allows the Seattle Symphony to provide educational programming like Link Up for free or low-cost to thousands of students of all ages each season. To learn more about how you can help cultivate the next generation’s love of music and make a difference in your community, please visit seattlesymphony.org/give.

Link Up is presented as part of the Seattle Symphony’s New Music WORKS initiative, which is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. New Music WORKS features commissions, concerts and educational activities that use composition as a catalyst for collaboration and engagement in music.

The Seattle Symphony’s Family, School & Community programs are supported by 4Culture, Marco Argenti, ArtsFund, D.A. Davidson, Delta Air Lines, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, the Klorfine Foundation, the Merriman-Ross Family, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, and individual contributions to the Seattle Symphony Annual Fund.

Link Up is a program of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute.