In partnership with Carnegie Hall, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra proudly presents the Shein Trust Young People’s Discovery Concerts, The Orchestra Moves, as part of the Link Up program. More than 6,000 students will participate in the Link Up curriculum attending this exciting, interactive concert at the Morris Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, November 5, and Thursday, November 6, under the baton of guest conductor Carolyn Watson. During the concert, students join the orchestra from their seats, singing and playing recorders in a unique, hands-on musical experience. For many, this is their first concert, giving them the opportunity to bring the musical concepts they study to life. This year, the Symphony also invites the public to the 11:45 a.m. concert on Wednesday, November 5 and Thursday, November 6. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome!
For over 35 years, Link Up has paired orchestras with students in grades 3–5 at schools in their local communities to explore orchestral repertoire and fundamental musical skills, including creative work and composition, through a hands-on music curriculum. Link Up addresses the urgent need for music instruction and resources by providing a free, high-quality, year-long curriculum that teachers can implement, along with printed and digital classroom materials, online video and audio resources, and the professional development and support necessary to make the program an engaging experience for students.
The South Bend Symphony Orchestra is one of over 100 national and international organizations chosen for this program. Since 2003, Carnegie Hall has partnered with professional, community, and university orchestras across the United States and worldwide to support their existing education programs and strengthen their partnerships with local schools. This year Link Up will partner with sites in the United States and Canada, China, the Dominican Republic, Spain, Kenya, New Zealand, and Japan to serve more than 300,000 students and teachers globally. Visit carnegiehall.org/LinkUp for a complete list of participants and further details.
Shein Trust Community Series proudly presents the Shein Trust Young People’s Discovery Concert. Carolyn Watson’s appearance is generously underwritten by Victoria Garrett.
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About the Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute
Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute produces an extraordinary range of music education and social impact programs each season that extend far outside the physical walls of the concert halls. These programs will reach over 800,000 people in New York City, across the United States, and around the globe during the 2023-2024 Season.
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About the South Bend Symphony Orchestra
The South Bend Symphony inspires, entertains, and connects the community with the transformative power of orchestral music. Producing more than 20 mainstage programs each year and nearly 70 smaller ensemble concerts, the Symphony serves more than 29,000 attendees annually. As the region’s only professional orchestra, the Symphony is committed to fostering a robust, connected arts community in service to the greater Michiana region.
In addition to being recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and other state and local arts funding organizations, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra is the recipient of the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County’s Leighton Award for Nonprofit Excellence, which recognizes the best-run nonprofit organization in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Learn more about the South Bend Symphony Orchestra at www.southbendsymphony.org.
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About Carolyn Watson
Carolyn Watson is the Music Director of the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra. Originally from Australia, she has been based in the United States since 2013, conducting ensembles like the Austin Symphony, Detroit Symphony Civic Orchestra, Kansas City Ballet, and South Bend Symphony. Formerly Music Director at Interlochen Arts Academy, she won the 2015 American Prize for Orchestral Performance, collaborating with soloists such as Mark O’Connor. Carolyn remains a conducting faculty member at Interlochen Arts Camp.
An experienced opera conductor, recent highlights include leading productions like The Tragedy of Carmen for Tulsa Opera and And Still We Dream for Lyric Opera of Kansas City, which was featured in the Emmy-winning PBS documentary Higher Octaves: Leading Women in the Arts. Internationally, she has conducted at the Berlin Staatsoper’s John Cage Festival and assisted Sir Charles Mackerras at The Royal Opera, Covent Garden.
A committed educator, Carolyn directs orchestras at the University of Illinois. Her accolades include the Brian Stacey Award for emerging Australian conductors, the Churchill Fellowship, and support from the Dame Joan Sutherland Fund. She holds a PhD from the University of Sydney, focusing on gesture as communication in the work of conductor Carlos Kleiber.
About McKayela Collins-Hornor
McKayela Collins-Hornor is a proud Michiana native who loves teaching K-8 music at a local South Bend school. She attended Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, for her Bachelor of Vocal Performance degree and went on to receive her Master of Vocal Performance degree from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio. Shortly after graduating, she was offered her first teaching job at Tiffin University, Tiffin, Ohio, as the director for their first women’s choir. Realizing her passion for teaching, she taught private voice for all ages, most recently at Indiana University South Bend, South Bend, Indiana. She also was privileged to be the music director of numerous musicals for Clay High School and the summer musical program, Summerfly, for South Bend area schools. Currently, she enjoys singing for special events and in her local church choir alongside her husband. She is a proud mother of two children and loves spreading the joy of music!