The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance’s field trip programs and in-school performances offer the perfect blend of engaging performances and curriculum-connected themes. Impactful in-school performances give your students a chance to see professional artists up close, ask questions, and sometimes even participate in the action! Concert opportunities with DPAA introduce students to the wondrous sounds of a live orchestra, professional singers, and the athletic art of ballet, while also relating music to students’ personal experiences and classroom curricula. We create our standards-based programs with specific age ranges in mind so that we can cater to their developmental and learning needs.
Book Your ProgramEducators & Community
Carnegie Hall’s Link Up program pairs orchestras with students specifically in grades 3–5 and provides the opportunity to learn about, listen to, and perform great music. Students participating in Link Up explore an interactive curriculum in which they learn to sing and play an instrument in the classroom before performing with the orchestra from their seats at a culminating concert. Teachers may choose from one of three program paths: Basic, Basic+, or Advanced, depending on the level of involvement they would like to have for their students.
By participating as a DPAA Link Up School Partner, YOUR SCHOOL WILL RECEIVE:
- Link Up resources for students
- Link Up curriculum guide and resources for each teacher including repertoire for singing, playing the soprano recorder or violin, reading, notating music, composing, improvising, lesson plans,
and activities. Accompanying audio and video resources - Access to Carnegie Hall’s online resources and webinars, including additional lessons and interactive classroom resources
- One mandatory professional development training session for participating teachers, lead teachers, and administrators provided by DPAA Learning and Community Engagement Artistic Leadership Team.
Preschool & Early Elementary
Programs for our youngest audience members celebrate their curiosity and encourage them to move and explore the arts. We know how important it is to make a good impression on little learners, so we’ve established programs with their development in mind. Discover the programming below that introduces your students to the ballet, opera, and philharmonic in a fun, engaging setting, while also meeting Ohio Learning Standards in both the arts and academic content areas.
Ballet Stories in Motion – Colorful Emotions in Motion
An interactive in-school program, led by the dancers of Dayton Ballet Studio Company that uses movement, storytelling, and music to help students explore emotions and self-expression. Through the language of ballet, students will learn to convey emotions while exploring color and feelings, fostering emotional intelligence, creativity and a love of the arts. This program is recommended for pre-K through 3rd grade.
Curriculum connections: English Language Arts, Science, Movement, Dance, Music
Requirements: A performance area of 20 x 24 feet is required—preferably a stage or carpeted area.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $500 per performance
Brass Quintet: Who is the Brass Family?
Lively music, an entertaining introduction to the instruments in the Brass Quintet, and a little science too! This program is recommended for grades K–8.
Curriculum connections: Science, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Philharmonic Trio: Wee 3
A string bass, a trumpet, and percussion! What could these instruments possibly have in common? Find out as the DPO Trio explores likenesses, differences, and teamwork. This program is recommended for pre-K through 2nd grade.
Curriculum connections: English Language Arts, Social-Emotional Skills, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Philharmonic Trio: American Vignettes
American Vignettes was composed especially for the DPO Trio by Cincinnati composer Joe Price. From New Orleans to the Wild West, this lively presentation takes your students on a musical journey across the U.S. This program is recommended for grades 1–4.
Curriculum connections: Social Studies, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
String Quartet: The Great Dinosaur Escape
Four dinosaurs learn how to use their individual gifts and talents to help each other. This program is recommended for pre-K through 2nd grade.
Curriculum connections: English Language Arts, Science, Social-Emotional Skills, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 35 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
String Quartet: Anansi and The Sky Kingdom
In this folk tale from West Africa, Anansi and his friends achieve seemingly impossible tasks with teamwork and ingenuity. This program is recommended for pre-K through 2nd grade.
Curriculum connections: English Language Arts, Geography, Social-Emotional Skills, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 35 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
String Quartet: The Three Billy Goats Gruff
A familiar story with a few original surprises! Join us as we learn how a simple act of kindness can make a big difference. This program is recommended for pre-K through 2nd grade.
Curriculum connections: English Language Arts, Social-Emotional Skills, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 35 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
String Quintet: Science of String Sound
Who is in the string family, and how do string instruments work? How many ways can string instruments produce a sound? Discover the answers to these questions as the String Quintet performs a wide variety of musical styles. This program is recommended for grades 1–6.
Curriculum connections: Science, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Woodwind Quintet: Woodwind Discovery
Why is the flute in a woodwind quintet if it’s made of metal? Isn’t the French horn a brass instrument? The Woodwind Quintet shares how each of their instruments can be so different yet blend together to make a unique sound. This program is recommended for grades K–5.
Curriculum connections: Science, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Field Trip Program – Magic Carpet Concerts: When Instruments Roamed the Earth!®
Dayton Masonic Center
February 16, 2027 at 10:00 & 11:30AM*
February 17, 2027 at 10:00 & 11:30AM
February 18, 2027 at 10:00 & 11:30AM
* Sensory Friendly
Dayton Opera Artists in Residence
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
What if a French Horn were a fossil? Embark on a prehistoric musical expedition featuring theatrical narration for a comedic, high-energy journey that blends musicology and discovery to explore the “origins” and evolution of the symphony. This STEAM-centered program bridges music and storytelling, helping young listeners identify orchestral families, understand the science of sound production, and develop a lifelong love for the symphonic experience. This field trip is recommended for pre-K through 3rd grade.
Run time: 45 minutes
Cost: $7 per seat
Intermediate
As students enter mid- to upper-elementary grades, their brains strive to make connections between subject areas. They want to deepen their understanding of all kinds of subjects and our in-school programming does just that. Our programming gives students a window into how the arts connect with other subjects and the world around them. Read below to learn more about each of the programs that can encourage your students to see the arts through a new lens.
Who Wants To Be A Dancer?
Experience dance differently. Who Wants to be a Dancer? is an interactive, fun, and engaging game show format that allows students to explore the world of dance through balletic movements, vocabulary, audience participation, question-answers, and mini-performance variations led and presented by Dayton Ballet professional and Studio Company dancers. This program is recommended for grades 3–8. Program availability is limited.
Curriculum connections: Movement, Dance, Music
Requirements: A performance area of 20 x 24 feet is required—preferably a stage or carpeted area.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $500 per performance
Brass Quintet: Who is the Brass Family?
Lively music, an entertaining introduction to the instruments in the Brass Quintet, and a little science too! This program is recommended for grades K–8.
Curriculum connections: Science, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Brass Quintet: Music Around the World
Language, dress, and customs all combine to define a culture, but what is missing? Music, of course! Take a musical journey and discover the unique characteristics of music from around the world. This program is recommended for grades 3–8.
Curriculum connections: Social Studies, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Philharmonic Trio: American Vignettes
American Vignettes was composed especially for the DPO Trio by Cincinnati composer Joe Price. From New Orleans to the Wild West, this lively presentation takes your students on a musical journey across the U.S. This program is recommended for grades 1–4.
Curriculum connections: Social Studies, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Philharmonic Trio: Music and Culture
After a speedy trip around the world to discover how music reflects the culture of its people, your students will arrive in an American classroom to meet the Creatures in Room 642 by Cincinnati composer Frank Proto. Here they will learn how music not only describes a culture but also reveals the individuals in it! This program is recommended for grades 4–8.
Curriculum connections: Social Studies, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
String Quintet: Science of String Sound
Who is in the string family, and how do string instruments work? How many ways can string instruments produce a sound? Discover the answers to these questions as the String Quintet performs a wide variety of musical styles. This program is recommended for grades 1–6.
Curriculum connections: Science, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
String Quintet: Music for Dance
Music must be organized, especially when it involves dance! Students will learn how form, patterns, and rhythm combine to create characteristic dance styles from around the world. This program is recommended for grades 3–8.
Curriculum connections: Social Studies, Dance, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
String Quintet: Tour of Europe
Test your students’ map reading skills. The quintet will play music from various European countries and enlist volunteers from the audience to help them build a map of Europe. This program is recommended for grades 3–8.
Curriculum connections: Social Studies, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Woodwind Quintet: Woodwind Discovery
Why is the flute in a woodwind quintet if it’s made of metal? Isn’t the French horn a brass instrument? The Woodwind Quintet shares how each of their instruments can be so different yet blend together to make a unique sound. This program is recommended for grades K–5.
Curriculum connections: Science, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Woodwind Quintet: Musical Explorers
Follow musical cues from Europe to the Far East to South America and Africa to discover the unique musical sounds of countries around the world. This program will reinforce your students’ listening and map reading skills. This program is recommended for grades 4–8.
Curriculum connections: Social Studies, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Hansel & Gretel
Bring Opera into your school and introduce children to this adaptation of Hansel and Gretel. The performance blends Humperdinck’s vibrant score with narration and song. Students will follow the siblings’ journey through a magical forest to their triumphant victory over the fantastical witch. This program is recommended for grades Preschool–Grade 3, up to four classes per performance. Program availability is limited.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $500
Secondary
Students in middle- and high-school are exploring and shaping their future goals and identities, and the arts can challenge their ideas and give them new avenues of self-expression. Read below to find out more about the programs we offer for older students.
Choir Sectionals and Clinics
Dayton Opera Artists-in-Residence visit your classroom to lead rehearsals, sectionals, masterclasses, or to perform for your students. This program is for grades 6–12.
Cost: Inquire for pricing
Brass Quintet: Journey Through Jazz!
Explore the history, style, and influences of jazz music with the Brass Quintet. This program is recommended for grades 6–12.
Curriculum connections: Social Studies, English Language Arts, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Philharmonic Trio: Music and Culture
After a speedy trip around the world to discover how music reflects the culture of its people, your students will arrive in an American classroom to meet the Creatures in Room 642 by Cincinnati composer Frank Proto. Here they will learn how music not only describes a culture but also reveals the individuals in it! This program is recommended for grades 4–8.
Curriculum connections: Social Studies, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Woodwind Quintet: The Art of Music – Multimedia
This multimedia presentation pairs music with paintings, architecture, and sculpture. Learn how the visual arts and music are connected by choosing one of the following engaging programs: Art & Arpeggios, Brushes & Beats, and Fascinating Female Artists. This program is recommended for grades 4–12.
Curriculum connections: English Language Arts, Visual Art, Music
Requirements: A projector, screen, and computer are required for this program.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Woodwind Quintet: Musical Explorers
Follow musical cues from Europe to the Far East to South America and Africa to discover the unique musical sounds of countries around the world. This program will reinforce your students’ listening and map reading skills. This program is recommended for grades 4–8.
Curriculum connections: Social Studies, Music
Requirements: Please provide the musicians with sturdy, straight-back, armless, adult-size chairs, and music stands. Please allow at least 6-8 feet between the first row of students and artists. Programs should take place in a clean, well-lit 20 x 20 foot or larger space such as a cafeteria, auditorium, or gymnasium.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $350 per performance
Instrument Sectionals, Clinics, and OMEA Coaching
Professional musicians from the Dayton Philharmonic visit your band or orchestra classroom to lead sectionals, clinics, OMEA coaching, masterclasses, or to perform for your students. Instrument clinics were created to meet the requests of band and orchestra directors. We offer an unparalleled opportunity for your band and orchestra students to work side-by-side with our professional musicians. We offer string, brass, and woodwind clinics, and clinics can be tailored to your needs. This program is for grades 6–12.
Curriculum connections: Music
Duration: 45 minutes
Cost: Inquire for pricing
All Ages
I Hear America Singing
Celebrate the history of American music through the twin lenses of Broadway and Opera. Inspired by Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing,” the program explores our collective identity with works ranging from Oklahoma! to Ragtime. This interactive experience invites the audience to participate through call-and-response and percussion, honoring the diverse voices that define the American experience. This program is recommended for all ages, up to four classes per performance. Program availability is limited.
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $500 per performance
Field Trip Program – Young People's Concert Celebrating 250 Years through Song, Music, and Dance
Schuster Center
October 28, 2026 at 10:00 & 11:30AM
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
Dayton Ballet School Ensemble
Dayton Opera Artists in Residence
We embark on a retrospective of the American journey, tracing the musical development of a people’s history. This performance showcases a curated blend of traditional, modern, and theatrical compositions by figures like Buck, Bernstein, Copland, Price, and Ward, and highlights our Concerto Competition winner. From the foundational heritage of a developing nation to the dynamic landscape of contemporary society, we celebrate a nation built by people defined by its diverse roots and voices.
Run-time: 45–50 minutes
Cost: $7 per seat
Field Trip Program – The Nutcracker
Schuster Center
December 11, 2026 at 10am
Nutcracker – Celebrate the holidays with your students and experience Act 1 of Dayton’s cherished Nutcracker production. Witness the magic of Clara’s Christmas adventure, brought to life by the dancers of Dayton Ballet and local students, along with the Dayton Philharmonic’s live performance of Tchaikovsky’s score, making this a truly festive experience.
Cost: $7 per seat
Field Trip Program – Magic Carpet Concerts: When Instruments Roamed the Earth!®
Dayton Masonic Center
February 16, 2027 at 11:30am
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
Dayton Opera Artists in Residence
For all schools, families, homeschool groups, and centers that have individuals with neurodiverse conditions including autism, sensory sensitivities, or other social, learning, or cognitive atypicality. This special one-act performance features a live orchestra and omits loud sounds and jarring effects.
What makes these performances sensory-friendly? Our sensory-friendly performances feature a supportive, judgment-free environment with relaxed theater rules. Adaptations to our sensory-friendly performances include the following:
- Dimmed house lights (30% brightness during the entire performance)
- Lower sound levels
- Elimination of startling special effects and lighting
- Relaxed theater rules—freedom to get up, move around, and come and go as you desire
- Designated quiet area
- Trained and informed dancers, staff, ushers, and other volunteers to ensure a memorable experience for you and your family
Run-time: 45 minutes
Cost: $7 per seat
Field Trip Program – Young People's Concert II Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute Link Up: The Orchestra Sings
Schuster Center
April 28, 2027 at 10:00 & 11:30AM
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
Dayton Ballet School Ensemble
Dayton Opera Artists in Residence
Guiding students through a yearlong exploration of orchestral repertoire, The Orchestra Sings investigates how composers create sweeping contours and express emotion through the power of melody. This curriculum transforms the classroom into a rehearsal space where students, homeschoolers, and families master the recorder and vocals in preparation for a high-energy, interactive performance. This program is recommended for grades 3–12.
Teachers may choose from one of three program paths, Basic, Basic+, or Advanced, depending on the level of involvement they would like to have for their students. Includes student materials, one teacher guide, and concert music. Student Halo Recorders are available to order at a discounted rate through Peripole.
Run-time: 45–50 minutes
Cost: $7 per seat