Volunteer with the Symphony!

Whether you’re interested in a casual volunteer position or are interested in volunteering once a week or more, we have areas available. Once you’ve read over the projects below, roll up your sleeves and apply! THANK YOU for giving the gift of your time. Your support is invaluable!

Questions? Email Susan Fortkiewicz, Executive Administrator

Front of House:

Front of House volunteers are the people who “keep the ship running” at performances with the help of staff and venue personnel. Here are some ways you can get involved at select concerts:

Greeters, Tickets & Guest Services, Programs Distribution, Information Table and Directional Services are the most common volunteer opportunities needed at performances. And while most Winston-Salem Symphony performances are ushered by paid professionals, on occasion volunteers are needed to serve as Ushers to assist patrons with locating their seat within the performance hall, finding the restrooms and insuring that audience members have an exceptional concert going experience.

Special Events:

The Winston-Salem Symphony participates in community events, festivals, fundraisers, and open houses. For these types of events, volunteer assistance is often needed for the following duties: Assist in event set up and break down (includes moving tables, arranging décor, stocking refreshment tables, organizing materials and signage, etc.), managing the information table/display, speaking with patrons and promoting. Time commitment can range from 2-6 hours and is often in the evening and on weekends.

Education Programs Volunteer Opportunities

P.L.A.Y. Music:

Inspired by the El Sistema program in Venezuela, the Piedmont Learning Academy for Youth Music (P.L.A.Y. Music) is an intensive afterschool program for underserved youth and their families who wish to learn to play an instrument. Volunteers are needed to serve as classroom assistants for the PLAY program for the fall and beyond. Classroom assistants help with behavior management, taking attendance, snack/bathroom breaks and other miscellaneous tasks. If you think you may be interested in this opportunity, email Rachel Watson for more information.

Instrument Petting Zoos:

The Winston-Salem Symphony presents many Instrument Petting Zoo visits each year in schools, childcare facilities, retirement communities, libraries, at special/education events, and as part of Winston-Salem Symphony’s regular programming. The Instrument Petting Zoos give children a hands-on opportunity to learn about musical instruments. Basic knowledge of music/musical instruments is not required. All volunteers are trained on how each instrument works along with how to hold and make simple sounds which the volunteer will then teach to participants of the Instrument Petting Zoo. Volunteering for the Instrument Petting Zoo is a great opportunity for students, future educators, lifelong learners and more.

Specific Instrument Petting Zoo volunteer opportunities are:

• Modeling sound production on instruments
• Supervising children and guiding their active engagement
• Adhering to health and safety standards
• Assisting with set-up/clean-up​

Youth Orchestras:

Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras Program (WSSYOP) strives to foster the greatest artistic and personal development of talented young musicians, by providing them with a musical experience that challenges and develops their musical abilities and creates a lasting sense of pride in their work. The WSSYOP is currently comprised of four orchestras for aspiring musicians in the first through twelfth grades: Premiere Strings and Chamber Sinfonia are strings only orchestras for young musicians who are new to the experience of playing in an ensemble with a conductor, the Youth Philharmonic, a full orchestra for intermediate level students and the Youth Symphony, a full orchestra for more advanced students. The Volunteers should enjoy working with youth ages 6-18.

The following are specific volunteer needs:

• Concert and rehearsal set-up and take-down
• Assist with the movement of students on and off the stage during performances
• Activity Planners and Coordinators (passing out flyers, brochures and speaking on behalf of the group in better educating the community about the program)
• Sharing YOP information to interested youth/families

Mary Starling Full-Orchestra Educational Performances:

The Winston Salem Symphony in-school ensemble performances are a precursor to a full orchestra concert at Reynolds Auditorium. The in-school ensembles are made up of four different performance groups, woodwinds, strings, brass and percussion who all travel to the local elementary schools in the fall. In the spring, the groups come together to form a full orchestra in a performance where the students can now experience how they work together. Through these experiences, 4th and 5th grade students get to learn about and experience the different instrument families of the orchestra in hopes that they will consider signing up for their middle school music classes.

For the Spring Full Orchestra Performances, volunteers are needed to act as school liaisons. One school liaison is assigned to each student group in attendance. This person greets the assigned group upon arrival, escorts them to their seats, and assists the group in exiting the hall and boarding their bus in an orderly fashion.

Office Volunteer Opportunities

Music Library:

The Winston-Salem Symphony maintains a library of orchestra sheet music, chamber music, vocal music, scores, and reference materials. There are many ongoing tasks including inventory, cataloguing, and processing where there are needs for volunteers. Training, when needed, is provided on the job.

Specific music library volunteer opportunities are:

• Filing and photocopying
• Typing and data entry
• Music part preparation (musical knowledge required)
• Research music works, editions of pieces, etc.
• Music inventory

Office Administration:

The Winston-Salem Symphony, at times, requires assistance in the completion of various ongoing administrative/clerical tasks and those associated with various Tickets & Guest Services, Marketing, and Philanthropic Development mailings and communications. With minimal staff, experienced office volunteers are an important support system for the organization.

Specific administrative needs are:

• Preparation of mailings such as stuffing and sorting envelopes
• Telephone support to include subscription renewal and donor calls
• Deliver flyers, posters, brochures, etc. to various locations around the region to promote Winston-Salem Symphony concerts and events
• Assistance with archiving materials
• Filing and photocopying
• Typing and data entry

Get involved!

The Winston-Salem Symphony values the experiences you have which play a part in developing the skills and knowledge necessary to be a successful volunteer. Volunteers of all abilities, gender identities, races, and experiences are welcome to apply. Before completing the Volunteer Application form, please carefully review the information below.

All applicants must be 16 years or older, unless accompanied by a parent, immediate relative, or service group leader; applicants interested in volunteering for youth opportunities must be 18 years or older, unless accompanied by a parent, immediate relative, or service group leader. The accompanying adult must also complete this application.

• Applications approved for the Volunteer Program are accepted year-round and are kept on file so we can contact you when an upcoming volunteer opportunity fits your interests.
• The Winston-Salem Symphony reserves the right to conduct background checks for any volunteers working with children.
• Some of our volunteer opportunities may require additional paperwork and/or training. We will reach out to you with next steps should you indicate interest in these opportunities. We appreciate your patience regarding any additional procedures.
• Please note that the Winston-Salem Symphony does not sign volunteer service forms. If you need a record of your volunteer hours, we will provide documentation on Symphony letterhead.

Thank you for taking the time to read this information and fill out the application. For more information on Winston-Salem Symphony programs, events, and volunteer opportunities, please email Susan Fortkiewicz, Executive Administrator or call 336-725-1035.