The Concept

The New Haven Symphony Orchestra Photography Project is an original, two-year, multi-disciplinary program involving NHSO musicians, New Haven school children, their families, teachers and other members of the community. The project combines 3 artistic disciplines – music, photography and creative writing.

The Project consists of 3 Segments

1. Everyday NHSO. Multiple portraits of NHSO musicians will be taken. The photos will feature the musicians in an environment other than their professional one i.e., a bassoonist flipping an omelet in her kitchen or a violinist walking his six Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs.

Click here for examples of “Everyday NHSO” photos 

2. Creative Writing in Schools. School students will produce a written response to an "everyday" photograph of an NHSO musician. Creative writing guidelines have been developed in conjunction with the appropriate Connecticut teaching standards.  

A subsequent visit to the school by the musician will involve a “20 questions” opportunity for the students to “guess my profession,” after which the musician will reveal his or her profession and give a demonstration/performance on their instrument. Additionally, the guest musician will provide commentary and discussion about his/her life, both as a musician and member of the NHSO, as well as their other interests and roles. (While many NHSO musicians have full-time music-related careers, others combine music with other professions or activities such as practicing law, showing dogs, working in retail shops, parenting, and full-time study.)

Click here for examples of student’s creative writing

A pilot program was launched in the Fall of 2006 at two New Haven schools (Foote School and Wexler Grant School) to determine best practices and the most appropriate grade level for the project (4th-6th grade).  

3. Traveling photo exhibit. The refined main project is now being launched in schools throughout greater New Haven, from January - May, 2007. The student’s creative writing work will be judged and best responses will be used in a traveling photo exhibit featuring photos of all 75 NHSO musicians and a musical collage sound loop. Participating school students, family members and teachers will also have the opportunity to attend “Family Day with the NHSO”. Family Day will be an opportunity for students, their families, and teachers to meet with the entire orchestra, listen to beautiful music and view the photo exhibit.

Pilot Program School Partners:

• Wexler Grant School; Carolyn Streets, Karen Lombardi, Kim Torello
• Foote School; Debra Riding, Trevor Rosenthal, Jenny Byers

NHSO Musicians:

• Ellen Higham, Violist and gardener
• Olav van Hezewijk: Oboist and Buddhist

Goals of the Project:

• to expand the reach and scope of the NHSO’s education program through the addition of multidisciplinary programming which engages a broad range of participants of varying age-groups i.e., school–age through senior citizens
• to inspire students to use their imaginations, develop interest and appreciation of their local artists, and to look beyond an individual’s outer appearance
• to break down the unspoken barriers between the orchestra as a body of people on stage and the audience
• to “humanize” the individual members of the orchestra by portraying them in their everyday lives in addition to their talents and expertise as professional musicians
• to provide an entry point to classical music through other art forms i.e., photography and creative writing

How can your school become a Photography Project Partner?

Click here to open a registration form (.doc format)
or click here for a pdf version

Ellen shows Foote School students how to hold a viola.

A 5th grader’s illustrated creative writing work depicting
“Olav The Great” as a pilot.