Link Up Goes South (County, that is)

Link Up is a terrific music education program designed by Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute for 3rd through 5^th graders. Participating elementary schools partner with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School and receive a set of workbooks and a quality soprano recorder for every student. Teachers receive special training and guide the kids through the yearlong curriculum in preparation for a celebratory concert that unites students and Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra professional musicians for an interactive concert at The VETS that showcases the students’ musical accomplishments.

The challenge—how to include South County students, many of whom have difficulty getting to the Providence venue because of budget, distance, COVID, or other issues.

The solution—bring the concert to the students. And that’s just what the RI Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School did! In furtherance of its mission to bring classical music education and performance to underserved communities, RI Phil has purchased a gigantic (12 feet by 20 feet) mobile video screen, enabling recorded concerts and educational material to reach places these resources would rarely be available.

That screen was put to good use on Wednesday, May 25th, when it was transported to Wilcox Park in Westerly. There, the annual Link Up concert was screened to 700 participating elementary schoolchildren from the Westerly and Chariho school districts. They brought their recorders, and even some ukuleles, with which they had practiced all year, and their enthusiasm, and the event was wildly successful. The weather cooperated and the kids viewed and played their recorders along with the screened concert (conducted by RI Philharmonic Principal Horn player Kevin Owen) followed by a round of music and singing to the delight of all.

The RI Philharmonic Music School is committed to ensuring that all students, regardless of socio-economic circumstance, engage in meaningful musical experience and gain a lifelong literacy in, and appreciation for, music. It is worth noting that the Rhode Island Philharmonic & Music School has partnered with more than 100 schools in our region, including the majority of Rhode Island’s elementary schools located in areas of concentrated poverty. Over the past ten years, the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School has provided Link Up to more than 34,000 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders, encouraging a lifetime love of music.

Photography by Mattias Lundblad (www.mattiaslundblad.com)