Education & Community Engagement

Through the Harmony Music program, we visit students that require educational support and provide them with the opportunity to interact with our musicians and enjoy a performance in the comfort of their school environment. This program sees small ensembles perform informal classroom presentations, share stories about life as a professional musician and introduce students to the instruments of the orchestra through performances of popular repertoire and interactive have-a-go sessions.

Through the Connect program, we reach out to disability support organisations and invite individuals to attend a variety of special events at Perth Concert Hall, specially tailored to those who are unable to attend public performances due to accessibility difficulties.

Members of these organisations are welcomed into Open Rehearsals where they can observe the Orchestra and their conductor as they prepare for a concert performance, and treated to accessible chamber music performances.

Our Hospital Orchestra Project (HOP) brings moments of joy to the lives of unwell children and their families at Perth Children's Hospital. Our musicians present a variety of performances and participatory programs for children, as well as visit children on the wards six times a year. We operate HOP in partnership with the School of Special Educational Needs: Medical and Mental Health, with support from Starlight Foundation, who broadcast all performances on Starlight TV, helping us reach children and their families who are unable to join us in the theatre.

Music for the Ages has been designed to reach elderly individuals in our communities who are unable to attend a symphony orchestra concert or rehearsal – We bring the music to them through engaging chamber ensemble performances across the aged care and healthcare sectors, complimenting and continuing their lifelong journey with our musicians and art-form.

We are committed to helping teachers provide their students with live performing arts experiences through our bus sponsorship initiative, Musical Moves. Schools can apply for financial support to cover the transportation costs to attend concerts, which are approximately $10 per student.

Our Regional Arts Program (ReAP) enables music students in public schools across the Pilbara Education Region to access our musicians and programs through video conferencing. Students studying instrumental music through the Instrumental Music School Services (IMSS) have the opportunity to participate in Masterclasses run by our musicians, while Primary and Remote Community Schools can access our EChO performances in Schools and Chamber Music programs.

“I still find it quite remarkable and feel very privileged that music students in Karratha, where there is no town band, no private instrumental teachers, few performances other than contemporary music at night time venues, and where most of the primary schools do not even have a music teacher, can access lessons from no less than WASO musicians!” James Crocker, IMSS teacher and Teacher-in-charge Karratha SHS

ReAP is supported by Department of Education through School of Isolated and Distance Education and the Royalties for Regions E-Learning Project.