Ravinia 2026 Issue 4

“Ravinia changed my life,” shared Washington Irving Elementary School teacher Heather Smith-Vanduan, “and it’s changing my kids’ lives too.” Originally a classroom teacher at Irving, Smith- Vanduan saw the transformative power of music through her school’s partnership with Reach Teach Play. Ravinia musicians would come into her school to o er live performances and immersive residencies, sparking students’ creativity. Inspired by the joy in her students’ music-making, Smith-Vanduan returned to her roots in music and became the school’s primary music teacher. CREATING ACCESS TOMUSICFORALL “You would see kids who weren’t necessarily vocal, and these kids would come alive.” —Heather Smith-Vanduan rough deep, sustained collaborations with public schools and community organizations, Reach Teach Play creates access to live music experiences and inclusive music education programs. Central to this mission of access, Ravinia provides free summer concert passes to thousands of community members through Chicago-area social service agencies and libraries. Beyond that, a long-running partnership with CPS and Lake County schools o ers a training institute and year-round support that helps elementary school teachers incorporate music into their own curriculum. “Music is powerful,” Smith-Vanduan told Ravinia. “Music teaches so many things. It teaches cooperation, problem solving, ne motor skills. You have kids who might not have been able to show leadership in other ways – the kid who is shy but is maybe a vocalist. When other kids discover that, that kid becomes a rock star, right?” Learn more about Reach Teach Play: RAVINIA.ORG • RAVINIAMAGAZINE 27