In addition to fundraising for the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, The Guild has created numerous programs to enhance and encourage musical education with the elementary youth of the First Coast area.

Docent Program

The Jacksonville Symphony Guild’s Docent Program is an important outreach of the Guild’s Education Committee. In anticipation of attending a symphonic concert, upon request by a teacher, volunteer docents address the classroom to explain audience etiquette, play snippets of the music they will hear, and present photographs of the instruments they will see and hear. Docents share how exciting symphonic music can be, and thereby prepare an audience for the future.

Neither membership in The Guild nor experience as a docent volunteer is necessary. The Guild provides training. If interested, please contact The Guild at (904) 358-1479.

Family Concerts

As the name implies, Family Concerts provide an opportunity for family members of all ages the opportunity to share together the joy of listening and participating in musical activities. The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra performs as well as the Youth Symphony Orchestra. For some events the audience may be predominately Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts that are earning merit badges for achievements in music. At other times there may be a seasonal theme such as the “Symphonic Spooktacular” concert held in October, complete with Halloween costumes.

At all of the Family Concerts the Instrument Zoo (see below) is available to family members. Particularly the younger ones can experience the joy of producing the sounds of music on virtually all of the traditional instruments that are a part of a symphony orchestra. The parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents are all smiles at these concerts as they share the joy of music with the younger members of their family.

Instrument Zoo volunteers are of all ages and experience. Some volunteers are music majors at Jacksonville schools while others have limited to no experience in playing an instrument; however are provided instructions on how to show the young people how to play the instruments. Because of the popularity of the Instrument Zoo, there is always a need for volunteers. If interested in becoming a “Zoo Keeper” (volunteer), please contact The Guild at (904) 358-1479 or click here.

Harmony Grants

The Jacksonville Symphony Guild recognizes the value and importance of music education in our public schools. To that end, the Guild sponsors the “Harmony Grants” program which provides funding to public schools in northeast Florida counties to enhance their music education programs. Each year the Guild awards grants in value up to $500 to area educators of grades K-12. These awards are utilized for projects or materials to enhance student music education. Teachers who have received Harmony Grants have been able to provide equipment and experiences for their students that would not have otherwise been available. The number of grants awarded each year is directly related to the success of annual fundraising efforts. Monies raised by the “Music for Your Eyes” project fund Harmony Grants.

Instrument Zoo

The Instrument Zoo is a hands-on program for 5th grade music classes designed to enhance music awareness and enjoyment. The Education Committee of the Jacksonville Symphony Guild administers this program.

Guild volunteers bring an assortment of orchestral instruments to area schools for students to see, to hear, to touch and to play. At the Instrument Zoo the focus is on the four families of instruments (strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion). The Zoo familiarizes the students with the different types of instruments and how each type creates its own unique sound. The Zoo experience is both educational and enjoyable. After the Instrument Zoo each student receives a copy of our Musical Safari Book, which helps to reinforce the information that the students have learned at their Instrument Zoo.

Instrument Zoos are conducted on Thursday mornings during the school year at different school locations. For a schedule of upcoming Instrument Zoo “performances”, contact the Guild Office at (904) 358-1479.

Volunteers as “zoo keepers” are always needed. Neither membership in The Guild nor experience is required. For further information, contact The Guild at (904) 358-1479.

Melody Grants

The Jacksonville Symphony Guild offers to donors the unique opportunity to enhance music education in public schools by donating a Melody Grant.

Melody Grants are $500 awards offered to area educators (K-12) to enhance their music education programs. The grants can be used by the recipients of the awards for textbooks, sheet music, instruments, guest performers, field trips or any other aid to student music education. Individuals, groups, trusts, or businesses may donate a Melody Grant of $500. The donor of the grant may title the grant in a number of ways. The Grant can be designated in the name of a family or family trust, in recognition of a particular individual, in the name of a business, or in the name of a group. Both donor and recipient receive recognition in Encore Magazine, and will be informed which educator and school has been awarded his/her Melody Grant and the specifics of that Grant. Each year Melody Grant donations must be received at the Guild office no later than October 15th. Grants are awarded in December.