When thinking about your child’s education it’s normal to be primarily concerned with their reading, writing, math and science skills. But at Arts Huntsville, we believe The Arts are a vital component of a well-rounded education that serve to benefit your child’s performance in those traditional subjects (especially math!), as well as sparking their creativity.

That said, we want to help you introduce your kids to the arts, whether that’s through music, theatre, dancing, painting, pottery… whatever gets them excited, inspired and creating! Arts Huntsville is sharing a roundup of local member organizations and programs offering kids an opportunity to get those creative muscles moving.

Huntsville Symphony Orchestra

The Huntsville Symphony orchestra offers free events that are the perfect way to introduce your kids to symphony music and spark their curiosity! They even offer semi-private string instrument classes.
Free Family Concerts: HSO’s Free Family Concert is held once a year in February. The free concert is a wonderful way to introduce kids to the music of the symphony!

Opus Tadpole: This free event is held on Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. prior to classical Series final rehearsals. The 20-minute session teaches kids about the workings and instruments of the orchestra.

Symphony Classes: These private and semi-private classes introduce children to the world of string instruments while emphasizing teamwork. Class size is limited to seven students and meet once a week.

Valley Conservatory

Valley Conservatory offers lessons in piano, strings, voice, percussion, guitar woodwinds and brass, as well as pre-school programs and guitar. The conservatory offers a wide range of lesson times to fit your schedule and doesn’t require any long-term contracts, allowing your child to take lessons month-to-month. Valley Conservatory offers lessons to students ages 5 and up. They also offer theory and music appreciation classes, group lessons, chamber group lessons, and a four week “tunes for tots” class.

Huntsville Youth Orchestra

Huntsville Youth Orchestra seeks to provide kids with a fun, musical experience that teaches them the values of discipline, dedication and teamwork along the way. HYO performs six concerts per season. This past year’s season showcased music inspired by Asia, featuring everything from Borodin’s Steppes of Central Asia to selections from The King and I and South Pacific.

Huntsville Community Chorus

If your child has the voice of an angel, consider getting them involved in Huntsville Community Chorus’ Youth Chorale (grades 7 -12) and Children’s Chorale (ages 3-6). These non-audition groups provide the opportunity for your child to perform throughout the year. Plus, your kid can join at any point throughout the year!

In addition to their two formal concerts each year, the Children’s and Youth Chorales perform around the city at events such as Arts Huntsville’s Panoply Arts Festival, Santa’s Village, Under the Christmas Tree, change of command ceremonies at Redstone Arsenal, and other community and civic events. They have performed with the HCC Symphonic Chorus, the Brass Band of Huntsville, and the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra.
Children’s Chorale | Youth Chorale

Study upon study backs this up, contributing Arts education to everything from language and reasoning skills to emotional development and spatial intelligence. On a more personal level, the arts enriched my own childhood and adolescence in a way that still impact my life today. Despite not making an art form my career, the lessons I learned in piano, theatre and dance have followed me through to this day.

About Fall for The Arts

This series is a part of Arts Huntsville’s Fall for the Arts celebration in recognition of National Arts and Humanities Month. Celebrate your creative side this October with classes, programs, events and performances hosted by more than 50 Arts Huntsville member arts and cultural organizations, small businesses, individual artists and bands all month long. Learn more at artshuntsville.org and follow along @artshuntsville on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Be sure to download Arts Huntsville’s FREE Arts Education Resource Guide to keep The Arts in Huntsville at your fingertips!

[ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Daniela Perallon is the face behind Arts Huntsville’s social media, marketing & PR efforts. A Florida native and University of Florida grad, Daniela has come to love all things Huntsville, especially its vibrant arts scene. Daniela is always looking for an opportunity to tweet, ‘gram, share and tell anyone who will listen about our city’s creative culture.

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