[Links updated 7/24/18]
Drew McManus over at Adaptistration has been evaluating orchestra websites based on a list of criteria that includes education as a sub-category. Starting with the post on Sept. 18th there are several very informative entries related to these evaluations. Some orchestra websites can serve as great resources in the classroom. Many of my students, for example, enjoyed working with the San Francisco Symphony’s Fun With Music website in class last year due to it’s very interactive design.
Perhaps it’s a good time to search the web and find some orchestral websites that might work with your students and have your students evaluate the websites. Maybe you could even have your students take a look at the website of the orchestra nearest to you. After interacting with the site, the students could then write letters to the orchestra giving suggestions of what they would like to see on the website that would interest them in attending a concert or learning more about the orchestra.
As music educators what role do we play in reaching out toward our local arts and performing organizations to support them? What types of programs and relationships work? How do your students feel about the relevance of orchestras to their lives? Do they have any suggestions or comments?