Our third and fifth graders recently had the exciting opportunity to attend the Music Without Boundaries concert at Powell Hall, home of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Lower School Music Teacher Dr. Katy Nichols noted that the trip brings many classroom lessons to life. She said, “Students observe how an orchestra listens, collaborates, and creates together, putting the concept of ‘ensemble’ into action.”
The musical immersion began even before the buses left campus. As part of a “Frosty Fun” day focused on the arts, fifth graders enjoyed an instrument show-and-tell with members of the Middle School orchestras. The older students demonstrated string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments, performing the pieces they are currently learning to give the fifth graders a front-row look at the world of performance.
The journey continued on the third graders’ bus ride to Powell Hall; their driver shared that he had performed there during the fall open house and had sung America the Beautiful for the children, setting a joyful tone for the morning. Along the way, students learned about St. Louis’s arts district and the historic neighborhood surrounding the hall. Nichols said, “One third grader, Susie S. ’35, even shared that her great-grandfather had been an architect involved in the renovation of Powell Hall in the 1960s!”
According to the hall’s website, the renovation was led by the St. Louis firm Wedemeyer, Cernik & Corrubia, with guidance from internationally recognized specialists, including lighting engineer David Mintz and theater architect Ben Schlanger, who had recently completed work on New York City’s Metropolitan Opera House.
Once inside, students were captivated by Powell Hall’s sweeping staircase, detailed ornamentation, and glowing chandeliers. The concert itself took them on a musical journey around the world. Guest artists performed a Hindustani vocal piece, Eastern European–influenced classical guitar, the expressive erhu, and lively accordion music. One especially memorable moment came when the erhu player mimicked a galloping and neighing horse, eliciting smiles and laughter from the students.
The program invited students to reflect on the question, What does home sound like to you? Several guest artists shared how their heritage music continues to connect them to their countries of origin, performing alongside the orchestra. Through these performances, students experienced firsthand how music can carry stories, memories, and identity across cultures.
The Music Without Boundaries concert also helped students connect what they heard to the music they study in class. They explored how rhythms, styles, and instruments from around the world reflect identity, tell stories, and bring people together. By hearing a wide variety of musical traditions, students deepened their respect for the diverse cultures represented in St. Louis and considered how every culture creates music for celebration, ceremony, storytelling, and expression.
This exploration of identity continued for the fifth graders back on campus. After returning from the symphony, they spent the afternoon with hands-on art activities and attended a viewing of the seventh and eighth-grade play, Scenes from Romeo & Juliet (Sort of…Almost).
It was an exceptional day for these young explorers of sound and community. Whether in the seats of a world-class concert hall or in a campus theater, the experience served as a vivid reminder that the arts help us understand one another and feel at home wherever we are.