Dallas Symphony teams up with MIT to launch new education center at the Meyerson

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra announced plans Thursday to bring a new education facility to the Meyerson Symphony Center through a partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Set to open in fall 2024, the Jeanne R. Johnson Education Center will serve North Texas students from first grade through high school, offering “STEAM-based learning activities that focus on dynamic music education,” according to a release.

The center is a collaboration between the DSO and the Opera of the Future group at the MIT Media Lab. It is being funded by a multimillion-dollar gift from the Jeanne R. Johnson Foundation.

DSO president and CEO Kim Noltemy said the MIT Media Lab is leading efforts to identify and design new technologies that are suitable for music education. That includes programs that incorporate virtual reality, artificial intelligence and other new approaches.

The center will also have traditional elements like a stage for live demonstrations and an instrument playground where visitors can get their hands on musical equipment. Noltemy said she hopes the technology will meet kids where they are while introducing them to real-world music experiences.

“We’re marrying the two things, the digital and the hands-on, live music experience,” she said.

The DSO plans to transform 3,500 square feet of space in the Meyerson to house the new facility, allowing the building to receive visitors six days a week, not just when there are concerts or other events.

“We decided that we needed a space for kids at the Meyerson,” Noltemy said. “Something like a museum, where you can go any time it’s convenient for you.”

She added that the space will also be open to the general public and is free of charge.

The new center is estimated to more than double the number of students the DSO serves, bringing an additional 50,000 students to the symphony each year.