In partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, Musical Explorers connects children to rich and diverse musical communities as they build fundamental music skills through listening, singing, and moving to songs from all over the world. Featuring world-class artists and multiple types of activities, the program is designed to grow the musical horizons of its students. Regardless of where you teach, you can open the world to your students by bringing Musical Explorers into your classroom.
Musical Explorers is a semester-long project that introduces students to three diverse musical cultures represented by musicians from Denver and around the world, allowing students to experience and share cultures not referenced in a traditional curriculum. Free digital resources include lesson plans, audio recordings, instructional videos, and culminating interactive concert experiences that happen at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts.
2025-26 Season
The 2025-2026 Musical Explorers program for second grade students features Cumbia with Gregorio Uribe, Balinese Traditions with Gamelan Tunas Mekar, and Freedom Songs. The program is offered for free to participating schools. Transportation subsidies are available for all schools (PLEASE NOTE: individual schools are responsible for securing their own transportation.)
The program will launch with the kickoff professional development session in January 2026. Culminating concerts will take place April 28 and 29, 2026 at 10am and 12pm at the Newman Center.
Thank you to our community partners Denver Arts & Venues (Denver Music Advancement Fund), Genesee Mountain Foundation and US Bank who proudly help to fund our Musical Explorers program.
Lead funding for Musical Explorers has been provided by Fund II Foundation, Linda and Earle S.
Altman, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Ralph W. and Leona Kern.
Additional lead funding for Musical Explorers has been graciously provided by JJR Foundation
and JMCMRJ Sorrell Foundation.
Additional support has been provided by The Edwin Caplin Foundation and Mr. Chretien Risley,
Trustee; Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation; KPMG LLP; and John Morning / Turrell Fund.
Musical Explorers is also made possible, in part, by an endowment gift from The Irene Diamond