Music in the Schools

Berkeley Symphony’s nationally-recognized, award-winning Music in the Schools (MITS) program offers a unique and exciting opportunity for students to experience the joy of music-making. Some of the most heart-felt concerts presented by the Symphony actually happen in school auditoriums!

Music in the Schools logo

 About

For eighteen years, Berkeley Symphony, in partnership with the Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD), has provided comprehensive, age-appropriate music curriculum to 4,000 elementary students in Berkeley. Honored by the League of American Orchestras as one of the top education programs in the country, Music in the Schools (MITS) helps students fulfill the California Performing Arts Content Standards and provides new ways of approaching many other subjects in the core curriculum.  Music in the Schools is under the leadership of Education Director Ming Luke.

The in-school residency includes the following:

  • Musician visits to all classes in the eleven participating schools
  • Meet the Symphony, a fun and interactive concert introducing students to live symphonic music
  • I’m a Performer! Students rehearse and perform with Berkeley Symphony as their backup band

MITS Community Partners

• Berkeley Public Education Foundation • Berkeley Unified School District • Berkeley Association of Realtors • Bank of America • California Arts Council • David B. Gold Foundation • In Dulci Jubilo • Koret Foundation • Mechanics Bank • National Endowment for the Arts • Bernard Osher Foundation • Target Stores • Union Bank Foundation
• Wells Fargo Bank • Bernard E. & Alba Witkin Charitable Foundation • Zalec Familian and Lilian Levinson Foundation