The Allentown Band offers two platforms that enhance educational opportunities for elementary and high school students:

- Young People's Concerts for students in grades 3 through 8
- Side by Side Concerts for students in grades 9 through 12

The Band's Youth Outreach and Educational Programs have been a priority for the band as part of staying connected to the community since 2005. The goal of these programs is to make the arts in general, and music in particular, programs that that enhance public education with culturally significant experiences available to the youth of the community.

Young People's Concerts are scheduled annually in November. These concerts are frequently multimedia projects with collaborative community partners. The use of technology and multi-media initiatives associated web-based platforms that facilitate the Band's ability to create "virtual" youth concert experiences online on demand, where schools no longer provide field trips. Technology has significantly increased the Band's ability to reach a larger audience.

Themes for the Young People's Concerts change each year. The impact of youth outreach initiatives remains a vital part of the band's mission, as we help to inspire future musicians and cultivate young audiences to appreciate and enjoy the power of music. Offering live performance and masterclass opportunities with educational STEAM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math) concerts, the band influences arts-based education while demonstrating the important connection that music makes to other educational disciplines including science, math, history, and literature for up to 2,250 students attending live in Allentown’s Miller Symphony Hall.

Special emphasis is placed on reaching Allentown School District students and other local school districts within the Lehigh Valley where the arts have been significantly diminished due to budget cuts. Young People's Concerts and the Side By Side Concerts are offered to school districts without charge through grant funds and private donations. All educational programming is annually evaluated through written critical assessment forms completed by students, teachers, administrators, parents, and regional music educators. This includes providing focused study guides with activities that align concert repertoire with the concert theme to prepare students for the overall concert experience and audience participation activities.

Side by Side Concerts (grades 9-12) are presented annually in May and offer performance experiences for students to sit side-by-side with members of the Allentown Band performing challenging repertoire, masterclass sessions, and a community concert performance. Nationally acclaimed Guest Conductors and celebrated Guest Soloists are frequently part of this program.

For more information about both programs, call Education Outreach Coordinator, Ms. Deb Heiney, (610) 737-6504.