Symphony2U

Professional musicians in Tacoma Public Schools orchestra rooms, coaching students or introducing them to orchestral instruments from elementary school through graduation.

THE PROGRAM

Professional musicians in our schools and classrooms.

One-on-one coaching is a big part of how orchestral musicians grow. It's also expensive when families have to arrange it privately, which puts it out of reach for some students.

Symphony2U closes that gap. Symphony Tacoma musicians go directly into Tacoma Public Schools orchestra classrooms and work with students the way a private teacher would: on tone, technique, the passage that isn't sitting right yet. The program is built alongside each school's orchestra teacher, reinforcing the work they're already doing rather than replacing it.

It runs at no cost to schools, students, or families.

WHERE WE WORK

Eight schools, one continuous pathway

Symphony2U began at three Tacoma high schools and has since grown — so a student can now encounter the same program in elementary school, again in middle school, and again before they graduate.

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Why access is the issue

Private instruction is the main on-ramp to serious orchestral playing, and its cost puts it out of reach for many families. Symphony2U places that instruction inside the school day, where every student in the orchestra can reach it.

The result is a music education that reflects the whole community Symphony Tacoma serves.

HOW IT WORKS

What a Symphony2U cycle looks like

Each partner school hosts a full cycle built around consistency — the same musicians, returning again and again.

  1. Planning with the orchestra teacher

    We start with the teacher's goals; the repertoire they're preparing, the sections that need the most attention, and how coaching should fit their rehearsal schedule.

  2. Eight coaching sessions

    Symphony Tacoma musicians lead eight sessions at the school, working with students individually and in small groups on technique, tone, ensemble playing, and the music in front of them.

  3. A finale that fits the age group

    Older students finish with a quintet masterclass, joined by additional Symphony Tacoma players. Younger musicians finish with a performance for family and friends.

Elementary - Where it Starts

  • Fawcett

  • Manitou Park

Middle School - Building Technique

  • Baker

  • First Creek

  • Gray

High School - Where it Begins

  • Foss

  • Lincoln

  • Mount Tahoma

BEYOND THE MUSIC

Mentorship is half the point

Most students in Symphony2U will not become professional musicians, and the program is not designed as though they will. What it reliably gives them is the steady presence of an adult who shows up, knows their name, and takes their playing seriously.

Partner teachers tell us they see that show up well beyond the orchestra room:

  • Students listening more closely to each other

  • More patience and self-compassion when something is hard

  • Stronger conflict-resolution and communication habits

  • Willingness to name what they're feeling instead of acting on it

  • Visible pride in something they built through practice