The WCFSO offers a comprehensive selection of musical presentations for students and youth in Waterloo, Cedar Falls, and surrounding Cedar Valley communities. As indicated by this summary of current programs, our commitment to music education and outreach has grown tremendously over the past several seasons. Our goal is to continue to expand and enhance our educational offerings throughout the Cedar Valley.

Lollipops are free Saturday morning concerts for young children and their families. Over the past several years, the series has expanded from 3 to 6-7 concerts per season and now impacts 800 - 1,000 children annually. 2006-07 was the Lollipops’ 25th anniversary year.

Ensembles-in-the-Schools (EIS) program offers 12 small-group performances annually in elementary schools in Waterloo and Cedar Falls. The program currently impacts over 2,500 students each year and its ultimate goal is to reach every elementary school in the Waterloo and Cedar Falls districts.

The Youth Concerts impact nearly 4,000 4th-6th graders in one day each April and serve schools from an 8-county radius (Black Hawk, Bremer, Fayette, Buchanan, Grundy, Butler, Hardin, Tama). These three free orchestral concerts at the Gallagher-Bluedorn feature creative programs (‘Shall We Dance?’, ‘Happy Birthday, Symphony’, ‘Live and Alive!’) and are previewed for students in classroom teaching packets put together by a committee of local teachers.

Partners-in-Education brings together the Symphony and Edison Elementary School in Waterloo. The WCFSO has focused on offering musical programs at Edison, including visits by Musicians of the Month and Jason Weinberger, EIS shows, and assistance with fundraisers and awards functions. For more details on Edison Elementary School, visit www.edison.waterloo.iowapages.org

The Instrument Petting Zoo appears at all Lollipop Concerts, at the Family concert, at community events like Sturgis Falls, and at selected schools by request. It offers kids a chance to try out nearly every instrument from within the orchestra.

The Young Artist Concerto Competition is facilitated by the Friends of the WCFSO. Its winner usually performs with WCFSO on the Youth Concerts and the top three places receive cash awards. The competition attracts young musicians from throughout the state. Winners in recent years have come from Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Sioux City, Dubuque and Iowa City.

The Family Concert is a very affordable performance intended to offer a family-friendly introduction to the orchestra.

The WCFSO Conducting Mentorship offers an undergraduate or graduate student in conducting a serious introduction to the roles and responsibilities of being a music director. The experience gained can be applied to a wide variety of settings, from amateur and youth orchestras to professional ensembles.

Jason Weinberger makes at least 25 in-school conductor visits annually. Visits range from elementary school presentations in advance of the Youth Concerts to clinics with high school orchestra and band musicians.

The WCFSO works to provide master class opportunities with its guest artists. In recent seasons, high school and college musicians have had the opportunity to meet and work with such artists as David Shifrin, Nadja-Salerno Sonnenberg and Peter Schickele.