Link Up Youth Concerts
Once signed up, teachers will gain access to teaching materials that they can incorporate into their curriculum to familiarize their students with the concert repertoire. Bussing subsidies are available for qualifying schools.
LINK UP 2027
The Orchestra Moves
By any definition, music moves. As organized sound, music moves through time and space from high to low, creating patterns and motifs. Composers and performers use expressive qualities to move us emotionally. Music also compels us to move physically and is embodied in many kinds of dance. Using Orff Schulwerk strategies and complementary creative movement activities, we will discover all the interwoven ways in which the orchestra moves.
Thank you for all of your efforts to bring Link Up to our students! One of my students said, “This was the best day ever!” Even my most wiggly students were enthralled and engaged with the Link Up concert repertoire.
We really enjoyed the Orchestra Swings concert! I love how educational it was and how different people from the orchestra talked. Overall a fun concert that kept students interest.
This is a great experience for our students! Many students may never again attend a professional orchestra concert, and to be able to have the chance to attend as well as play and sing along with the orchestra is so valuable for our young student musicians!
Concert Information
Tuesday, February 23, 2027 | 10:15am and 12:15pm
Hill Auditorium | 825 N University Ave, Ann Arbor
Tickets: $6
Upon receiving your ticket request, an A2SO staff member will respond confirming your order within 5 business days. Ticket reservations can be adjusted or canceled up until February 13, 2026. Teachers reserving tickets for their school should include the total number of tickets needed for all students, chaperones, aides and teachers attending. Parents not acting as chaperones can purchase tickets separately. See below for more information.
The A2SO will be putting on TWO Link Up concerts on Tuesday, February 23, 2027.
Concert #1 will be at 10:15 AM and Concert #2 will be at 12:15 PM. Teachers can specify which concert time they would prefer to attend in their ticket reservation form. A2SO staff will do all we can to honor these time requests, but may not be able to seat everyone in the concert of their choice. We will communicate concert time assignments before the end of November 2026.
Important Dates:
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 – Virtual Professional Development Session
Friday, January 22, 2027 – Final date to request a Busing Subsidy
Monday, February 1, 2027 – Final date for ticket reservations, adjustments, or cancellations. Tickets for Parents and Guardians (who are not chaperones) go on sale.
Tuesday, February 23, 2027 – Link Up: The Orchestra Moves Concerts!
Tuesday, March 2, 2027 – Payment Deadline
Refunds:
Payments are non-refundable if a school chooses not to attend the concert after the February 1 alteration deadline. 50% of the payment will be refundable under the following conditions:
- The school’s district cancels school due to inclement weather or COVID-19 outbreak.
- The performance is canceled.
Financial Assistance
A2SO BUSING SUBSIDY: The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra has limited funding available to subsidize the cost of bussing to the Link Up Concerts. If you would like to apply for a busing subsidy, please provide the necessary information on your Youth Concert Ticket Reservation form before Monday, February 1, 2027. Award allocations are determined by an “Overall Need Score” that considers the following factors:
free and reduced lunch percentage (50%)
distance from the school to Hill Auditorium (25%)
number of buses needed (25%)
Teacher Resources
Tickets for Parents & Guardians
Parents and Guardians who are not chaperones can buy individual tickets for $6.00 starting Monday, February 1, 2027. The link to purchase tickets will be sent to teachers and be distributed.
Day-of-concert parent and guardian tickets are $15.00.
Parents and guardians who reserve tickets will not sit with their student’s school, but in the designated parent seating area. If they wish to sit with their student’s school, they should contact their parent’s teacher about chaperoning.
If you are a parent who is not able to chaperone, but is available on concert day, and would like to be a part of the youth concert experience, we are always looking for volunteers to help usher! Please contact the Director of Learning & Community if this opportunity is something that interests you.