The MSO's nationally-recognized Up Close & Musical Program brings the power and beauty of music into the classrooms of elementary schools throughout Dane County. The curriculum is guided by the Wisconsin State Model Academic Standards for Music and is provided free to participating schools. The Up Close & Musical program is a collaborative effort between the MSO and the UW-Madison School of Music.

Studies have shown that if children are given the chance to participate in music making at an early age, they'll carry a love of music with them throughout their lives. Up Close & Musical brings the Hunt Quartet into the classroom to create exciting, interactive lessons that get students "hunting" for musical concepts within the music. The quartet visits each of six Dane County elementary schools four times each year. Individual quartet members go to different class rooms to teach students about the concepts of melody, rhythm, expression and form. Then the entire quartet plays again demonstrates these concepts as a group in a performance for the whole school.

At the end of the season, the program culminates with Symphony Soup, one of the MSO's three core Young People's Concerts that bring young people from across south-central Wisconsin into Overture Hall to experience classical music the way it was meant to be heard...live!. Just as the individual sessions blossomed into full quartet concerts, the entire program blossoms into a full Symphony concert, with the same four familiar musicians featured prominently on stage.

For more information about Up Close & Musical, the Hunt Quartet and Symphony Soup, please contact Director of Education and Community Engagement Michelle Kaebisch at 608.257.3734 or mkaebisch@madisonsymphony.org.