Dorothy Vetter Memorial Education Concerts

Imagine Sentry Theater filled to the brim with 4th graders from all around Central Wisconsin. They are riveted as they hear a live performance of music from around the world. They are laughing, smiling, playing/singing along, and dancing! This happens each and every year and is all possible because of the life of an extraordinary music educator, Dorothy Vetter.

Every year, almost 1,500 4th graders from the counties of Marathon, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood & Shawano fill the Sentry Theater to experience the magic and wonder of the CWSO. They learn about the orchestra, about music, they play along on their recorders or sing, but most importantly … they hear amazing music and they LOVE IT! (So does the orchestra ).

We are fortunate to partner with Carnegie Hall in New York City to present their Link Up curriculum to our audiences. For over 35 years, Link Up has paired orchestras with students in grades 3–5 at schools in their local communities to explore orchestral repertoire and fundamental musical skills, including creative work and composition, through a hands-on music curriculum.

Link Up addresses the urgent need for music instruction and resources by providing a free, high quality, year-long curriculum that teachers can implement, along with printed and digital classroom materials, online video and audio resources, and the professional development and support necessary to make the program an engaging experience for students.