The Rehearsal Project is a free field trip for elementary school students to observe a UW music rehearsal or performance. The goal of The Rehearsal Project is to expose young children to the benefits of live-music, teach listening skills for better live-music experiences and grow audiences of the future!
The Rehearsal Project …
focuses on sharing live-music experiences at UW with elementary school children
comes with a custom preparatory lesson from music educator, Emilia Kister, shared in elementary school classrooms prior to the event
provides opportunities for live-music events as a supplement to an existing music curriculum
gifts participating school tickets to the performance of the ensemble that the school visited
is funded by UW School of Music
Please reach out if you are interested in bringing your group in 2026-2027
Registration for the 2025-2026 school year is full.
Thank you!
8 schools.
500 students.
2024-2025:
8 schools. 500 students. 2024-2025:
Rehearsal visits include Big Band Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Singers, Percussion Ensemble, Modern Band Ensemble, Lunch-Time Concerts, Chamber Music Rehearsals, Studio classes and student recitals, depending on timing and availability.
The basic outline is...
Work with UW professors to find a time to attend a rehearsal of their UW ensemble
Visit the UW rehearsal to meet the students and explain the project
Prepare a custom lesson to bring to the elementary classroom about the music that the UW students are working on
Schedule a day to visit the elementary school
Collaborate and assist the teachers on any field trip logistics
Meet the class at UW for the live-music event and lead the kids through the performance experience
Reflect on the experience with the students
Invite the school community to the corresponding evening performance (free tickets provided)
“We visited the percussion ensemble last year with our 5th graders and the Studio Jazz Big Band with our 1st and 2nd graders. Both ensembles did such a good job welcoming our students into their space. Emilia Kister is an expert teacher and it was such a pleasure to work with her on these visits. She visited our music classes to prepare us for our field trips, to teach us about what we would experience and how to be a great audience member. We can’t wait to visit again.”
“We loved collaborating with Emilia to give our students an enriching musical experience. ... It was impactful for students to attend a college-level Percussion Ensemble rehearsal. ... They met the UW Music Professor, asked questions of the diverse student performers, and a few volunteers even got to conduct the percussionists. We highly recommend you take advantage of Emilia Kister’s collaboration with the University of Washington Music Department with this free opportunity!”
“I don’t know who gets more excited, the children or our students. The interactions with the young people is the best part! The questions, their insightful and sometimes hilarious comments—and most of all when they sit with us on stage while we sing. The connection is palpable!”
“Emilia’s lessons are engaging and interactive, and the professors and UW students are knowledgeable and so welcoming! ”
“It was such an endearingly positive experience for us (professor and students) to play for and interact with these bright-eyed, curious, open-minded little people. Whatever Emilia has been doing in prepping the children for the rehearsal sit-ins opened their minds to our aspirations and intentions while facilitating a palpable feeling of meaningful connection between the kids and our students in their exchanges. The beginnings of understanding ideas of why we strive to be artists seemed to have been received. AND they came to our concerts (forcing their parents of open up their minds as well)! The longterm benefits of Emilia’s program is what the we all urgently need, as she plants the seeds for future open-minded, curious audiences who are interested in artistry and the Arts in general.”
“What an inspirational and engaging experience for our students. The aspect of students expressing themselves by drawing while listening and viewing music was a hit. The performers were very receptive to demonstrating and answering questions. What a great way for students to be inspired by the creative world of music. ”