Middle School Programs

Ambassador Program
This program pairs a middle school band or orchestra with a NMSO musician who is "adopted" by the band/orchestra for 5-8 visits over a semester of work together. The NMSO musician acts as a coach at rehearsals, prepares and rehearses a solo piece that will be performed with the band/orchestra at a concert, and participates in recruiting from feeder elementary schools. At the end of the semester, the musician prepares the students to attend a NMSO dress rehearsal where they can hear how the conductor rehearses a professional orchestra and see their "adopted" musician at work. This program conects with the careers curriculum that APS offers.

Symphony School
The purpose of the Symphony School is to provide music lessons for economically disadvantaged students. The middle school band and orchestra students are taught by members of the New Mexico Symphony for only $1.00 per lesson. The NMSO musician visits the student's school on a weekly basis to teach these lessons during the student's band or orchestra class. Symphony School candidates are selected by their band/orchestra teacher and must meet the following criteria:

Students must have demonstrated the required musical talent,
Students must have an expressed interest in advancing their musical studies,
Students must maintain a grade point average of 2.0, and
Students must lack the financial means to pay for these lessons.

Each semester culminates with a recital presented by the Symphony School students with assistance from the NMSO musicians.

"Opening Acts"
Each year the New Mexico Symphony Ochestra performs Neighborhood Concerts throughout the Albuquerque area at various community centers and schools. These concerts are offered free of charge in an attempt to provide quality live performances of great musical literature to those who might not ordinarily hear it. To further reach out to middle school students, and assure their exposure to the highest quality symphonic literature, area middle school bands and orchestras are invited to perform as "opening acts" at these concerts.