Music
in Schools

Up Close & Musical®

Up Close & Musical brings the power and beauty of classical music into the classrooms of elementary schools throughout Dane County. The curriculum is guided by the Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance model and academic standards for music, bringing the Hunt Quartet into elementary schools four times each year. School visits take place in October, November, March, & April. Individual quartet members visit separate classrooms to conduct exciting and interactive lessons that send students on a hunt for the concepts of melody, rhythm, expression, and form. The full quartet then demonstrates these concepts in a mini concert for all participating classrooms. These school visits are free thanks to generous donor support.

At the end of the school year all of the participating schools attend Symphony Soup, which brings young people from across south-central Wisconsin into Overture Center for the Arts to experience classical music live in a concert hall! At this culminating concert, the Hunt Quartet is featured among a full symphony orchestra. Seats for the MSO’s youth concerts are $5 per student. Parents, teachers, and chaperones are free of charge with groups over 10 students. Subsidized tickets are available depending on your school’s participation in the free/reduced lunch program.

Hunt Quartet Members:
Paran Amirinazari, Violin
Hillary Hempel, Violin
Jennifer Paulson, Viola
Trace Johnson, Cello

Would your school like to participate?

Up Close & Musical 2025-2026 Partners

Submit your Letter of Agreement

2024-2025 Partners

Eastside Elementary School, Sun Prairie
Henderson Elementary School, Madison
Northside Elementary School, Middleton
Shorewood Elementary School, Madison
St. James Catholic School, Madison
West Middleton Elementary School, Middleton
Westside Elementary School, Sun Prairie

With questions, please contact MSO Education Director Lisa Kjentvet at lkjentvet@madisonsymphony.org.

After the Kindergarten mini-concert, a child said, ‘That was the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard!

Participating Teacher