Sinfonia "Linked Up" with Okaloosa & Walton County Third Graders

Third graders throughout Okaloosa and Walton Counties filled the auditorium to capacity at South Walton High School on Tuesday, May 6 for Sinfonia Gulf Coast's Link Up performances, in partnership with Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute (WMI).

As one of 57 orchestras nationwide invited to participate in WMI's Link Up program during the 2013-2014 season, Sinfonia Link Up coordinator Liz Aylor worked with teachers in both districts during the 9-month curriculum, which culminated in students' live performance on voice, recorders and instruments with Sinfonia Gulf Coast. The performance included stunning visuals for the students to follow and perform along with the orchestra, on-stage teacher soloists, and host and vocal/piano pedagogue Ms. Phyllis Hasty.

Presenting sponsor for Sinfonia's Link Up program, as well as for all of the recorders for Walton County students, is the St. Joe Community Foundation.

Carnegie Hall's Link Up has engaged hundreds of thousands of students since 1985. Sinfonia's music education outreach has reached more than 43,000 school children in Okaloosa and Walton Counties and more than 800 families have been provided tickets through the Students4Free initiative. For more information, please visit www.SinfoniaGulfCoast.org or call (850) 269-7129.