Just Announced: Tunes & Tales
Louisville Orchestra Expands Successful Program to Early Childhood Centers through Launch of “Tunes and Tales”
Programming made possible by a grant from the PNC Foundation
The Louisville Orchestra is thrilled to announce the launch of Tunes and Tales, an innovative music and literacy program for preschool-age children. The program is made possible by a $70,000 grant from the PNC Foundation through PNC Grow Up Great®, PNC’s $500 million, bilingual, signature philanthropic initiative to help prepare children from birth through age 5 for success in school and life. Tunes and Tales will be delivered in partnership with Community Coordinated Child Care (4-C) and Greater Louisville Head Start.
Building on the success of the Louisville Orchestra and Louisville Free Public Library’s Once Upon An Orchestra program, which features Louisville Orchestra members performing original music inspired by familiar children’s books, Tunes and Tales will bring live, interactive musical storytelling to young learners at eight early childhood centers in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.
“This collaboration brings the artistic and educational excellence of the Louisville Orchestra, a cherished cultural institution, into early childhood centers to help enrich Louisville’s youngest learners and their educators,” said Kristen Byrd, PNC regional president for Kentucky. “All of us at PNC look forward to seeing this meaningful program come to life in our community.”
Through Tunes and Tales, the Louisville Orchestra aims to nurture early literacy and school-readiness skills in preschoolers, aligning program activities with Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) kindergarten readiness markers. Each participating class will enjoy two engaging Tunes and Tales performances featuring live music, storytelling and activities designed to foster a love for learning and music.
“Music has a profound impact on young minds, and through Tunes and Tales, we hope to inspire joy and curiosity, while supporting literacy and school preparedness,” said Sarah Lempke O’Hare, director of strategic partnerships at the Louisville Orchestra. “Thanks to the generous support of the PNC Foundation and our collaboration with 4-C and Greater Louisville Head Start, we’re able to reach young students who may otherwise have limited access to these important musical literacy teaching methods.”
In addition to student engagement, the program provides year-round professional development for 30 participating teachers, equipping them with tools to integrate music into their classrooms and support their students’ learning journeys. Teachers will benefit from workshops, resources and ongoing guidance on using music to enhance daily instruction, helping them build a foundation in music education. For more information about Tunes and Tales or to get involved, visit LouisvilleOrchestra.org or contact Sarah Lempke O’Hare, director of strategic partnerships, at sohare@louisvilleorchestra.org
