Spokane Symphony joins forces with Spokane Public Schools musician all-stars in first ‘Side by Side’

The inaugural Symphony Side by Side will bring an array of student musicians to the Fox Theater stage as the Spokane Symphony continues to focus on fostering the next generation.

Symphony Side by Side is the recent brainchild of multiple local band directors, Spokane Public Schools Coordinator of Student Services Carol Pederson and Spokane Symphony Director of Education and Community Engagement Jason Moody. It was just a few short months ago that the idea of sending student musicians to represent five local high schools and the general arts programs of the district first came about.

Now, 10-12 band and orchestra students from Ferris High School, Lewis and Clark High School, North Central High School, Rogers High School and Shadle Park High School will be combining to form one large orchestra alongside Spokane Symphony musicians for a free performance on Friday.

“It came together quickly,” Moody said. “It’s a great chance to showcase these top musicians that have been really working hard. Many of them, at the very latest, probably started in the sixth grade, so they’ve been working consistently.”

During rehearsals, students have worked with many symphony musicians as well as music director and conductor James Lowe. Whether the students continue playing past their public education career or not, the goal is to help them be the best that they can be, celebrate the work they have done at such a young age, and provide a taste of what playing with a professional symphony is like.

“It’s really eye opening in terms of the level of detail and preparation, but just how much fun it can be too,” Moody said. “It’s often times like riding a wave, in particular for these students to get to jump in and have James Lowe working with all of them and leading them; it’s a really exciting experience.”

As the symphony continues to celebrate their 80th season, this sense of mentorship is not the only community building they look to do with Symphony Side by Side. Prior to the show, the lobby will be filled with student art, an “instrument petting zoo” for kids of all ages to try out an assortment of instruments, and performances from the Peperzak Middle School Choir as well as Ferris High School’s Canterbury Belles.

“It’s a celebration of all things visual and performing arts for Spokane Public Schools,” Moody said.

Moody hopes to continue Symphony Side by Side and partner with other programs from around the area, such as Spokane Valley, Coeur d’Alene, Mead and Cheney.

“We want to make sure that we offer this opportunity to all the regional high schools,” Moody said. “So we’ll start in a rotation so that it will be a chance for all of the programs to bring their students to the Fox.”