Pacific Symphony Blog

The Frieda Belinfante Class Act Program connects Pacific Symphony to a select number of elementary schools in Orange County each year. Class Act strives to enhance existing school music programs by providing additional musical experience through the Symphony. Focusing on six main “contact points” with schools, the program works to increase awareness of and involvement with symphonic music for elementary school students, their families, and educators.

Each year, students form a relationship with a Pacific Symphony musician who serves as a “Class Act teaching artist,” through activities including classroom lessons, ensemble performances, and scripted presentations. The Class Act experience also includes a Youth Concert for all students in 2nd grade and higher, and an Interactive Musical Experience for younger students. All activities feature the music of the Class Act Composer of the Year. For the 2026-27 school year, the Class Act Composer of the Year is Richard Strauss. This year’s theme is “Symphonic Sagas.”

This program also provides Teacher Workshops, which foster high-quality classroom instruction and offer curricular materials designed to enhance the objectives of the program. Starting this year, the Class Act program offers teachers various resources including monthly mini-lessons that can be easily implemented in their classrooms, as well as other helpful curricular materials designed to enhance the objectives of the program. The Class Act program benefits schools and students by instilling an appreciation for classical music. Participating schools have seen substantial growth in their orchestra and band programs!

Students get the opportunity to participate in a variety of music-related activities:

• Learn from Class Act teaching artists about their instruments and the lessons related to the Composer of the Year. You can see Pacific Symphony’s Assistant Principal Bass player Doug Basye pictured here, showing students how his double bass vibrates as he pulls the bow across the strings. Letting students hear and feel music up close ignites their curiosity and usually leads to lots of great questions about playing an instrument!

• Touch and learn about real instruments, and practice with paper instruments to create their own pretend orchestras, complete with a student conductor!
• Learn about the life journey of the Composer of the Year. Choreograph dances and sing songs together, putting on performances for classmates and families

• Learn how to describe how music makes them feel. One particular student spoke at an assembly about last year’s Composer of the Year, Aaron Copland, saying that his music makes her feel like she is at a July 4th parade. Teaching children how to express their feelings in this way builds a deep emotional connection with classical music. They learn to associate music with memories, and look at music as a way to create a more vibrant life.

• Exercise their creative energy – physically and mentally! Pictured on the left: artwork inspired by Copland’s Simple Gifts. On the right: students in costumes running to get in place for their dance routine. 

Stay tuned for our Spring recap of Coffee and Conversations with two of our Class Act Musicians to learn more about the experience from the musicians who get to work with each school. 

Interested in Class Act? 

Class Act Applications for the 2026-27 school year are now closed, but you can fill out this interest form to be added to the interest list for next year!