With a mission to ignite curiosity and excitement about music and inspire students to learn an instrument, the Santa Barbara Symphony’s Music Van program provides 3rd-grade students with an interactive, hands-on musical experience led by professional musicians and volunteer docents. Every year this polka-dotted mobile music classroom filled with orchestral instruments visits approximately 2,000 students across more than 40 schools in Santa Barbara County! For many kids, the Music Van program provides their first opportunity to see, hear and play a real musical instrument. With generous support from Symphony donors, this program is offered FREE to schools from Lompoc to Carpinteria.

The Symphony’s Music Van program provides a 65-minute session for each 3rd grade class.

During the first half hour students are introduced to the orchestra, conductor, and the instruments.
- Two professional musicians accompany the docents to perform LIVE demonstrations of the instrument families (strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion).
- During the second half hour, the students are able to try out all the instruments for themselves, with help from our team of trained docents.
- There are usually two one-hour sessions at a school, and students and teachers alike LOVE the program!

The Santa Barbara Symphony’s Music Van program has been in operation since 1978 and utilizes over 20 community volunteers. The mobile music classroom was generously donated by Marilynn and Tom Sullivan in 2002 (vintage Music Van) and 2015 (new Music Van). Originally donated by Nick Rail Music, the Music Van instruments are currently maintained with support from the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation.