Education Program
Mercury Soul is dedicated to expanding access to classical music and ensuring that it resonates with a new generation. Our multi-faceted educational ecosystem offers a variety of entry points for innovative youth engagement.
In addition to our popular public shows, Mercury Soul provides an education program which focuses on teens — an age group often left out of music outreach programs.
Since its inception, more than 1,000 Bay Area students have been impacted by this innovative engagement with classical music. Mercury Soul has produced music education events in partnership with local high schools including SF SOTA, Wallenberg, Lincoln, Lowell, and Oakland School For the Arts and more.
In 2024, we began a partnership with EPACENTER in East Palo Alto.
Concert Workshop
This program provides a series of classes and workshops that culminate into a spectacular classical-club show featuring student art & performance.
We begin with classroom visits and specialized sessions tailored to various artistic disciplines, including music, dance, visual design, animation & stagecraft. Classes work closely with Mercury Soul and gain hands-on experience as they develop pieces that will be featured in a concert event..
The final show features several sets showcasing high school performers. This participatory element is a highly effective way to deepen the educational experience not only for the students involved, but also for their peers who see them perform.
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Immersive Experiences
Mercury Soul is committed to introducing youth to the transformative power of live classical music by opening the doors to performances they might not otherwise experience.
At each of our public events, we collaborate with our network of Bay Area teachers, schools, and community organizations to provide free and discounted tickets to local students. These young attendees are welcomed into an unforgettable evening of music, visual art, and creative exploration. With immersive visuals, genre-defying collaborations, and performances that span centuries and cultures, we create inspiring, accessible entry points into the world of classical music.
By expanding access to these experiences, we empower the next generation of artists, audiences, and creative thinkers.
Digital Education
Mercury Soul is developing a video series to increase the reach of our classroom presentations. These short, high- impact videos will be available to thousands of students, making our educational content more accessible than ever before.
Each video connects an element of classical music with 21st Century culture. For example, the initial video, explores the evolution of dance rhythms from the 18th Century’s gigues and sarabands to today’s hip-hop and techno. Accompanying each video will be supplemental materials—worksheets, lesson plans, and resource guides—to enhance learning.
The series will be featured on the educational platform for the Grammy-winning film “Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra”. This portal, used by schools across North America, has reached over 100,000 students since its launch. By integrating our videos into this estabilished educator network, we will dramatically expand our reach and multiply our impact.