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APO’s Children’s Outreach Tours

Children’s Outreach Tours

APO is committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of zip code, has access to high quality arts education. Twice each year, APO brings original mini musicals, written and performed by Broadway Artists, directly to students in underserved communities throughout Appalachia, completely free of charge. These weeklong tours reach thousands of young people who might otherwise never experience live professional theater and music.

Each tour goes beyond the stage, too. Our touring orchestra is made up of rising Collegiate Musicians. These musicians gain meaningful real world experience while serving as role models, and students engage directly through instrument demonstrations and interactive conversations before and after every performance. APO is building a future where access to transformative artistic experiences isn’t a privilege, but a promise.

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  • 750,000+ students reached since our 1st Children’s Outreach Tour
  • 300,000+ students reached in ‘24 - ’25 through virtual performances across all 50 states
  • 6,000+ students reached in ‘24 & ‘25 through in person performances in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and DC
  • 3,500+ elementary schools reached since our 1st Children’s Outreach Tour

Teacher Testimonials

To teachers that have never experienced this: absolutely bring your kids to watch … I’ve experienced through them how much they are engaged and learning–and they are having a great time. As a teacher, you can’t ask for more than that.

Mrs. Angie Hamrick, Waterford Elementary

The students really enjoyed this production and the Q & A at the end. They were fascinated at the reality of the seriousness to perfect their lines and music that is required to put together a program in such a short amount of group rehearsal time. This helps them to understand the ‘work’ rather than just the end result.

Mrs. Beattie from South Carolina

Student Testimonials

It was an amazing experience with memories that will last a lifetime! I loved being there and being able to listen to all the famous people sing

Grace D., 7th grade

This experience changed my life. As someone who has idolized that kind of dream for YEARS it altered the course of my brain a little. I hope I can do something like that again sometime in my life, because it was one of the highlights. I'm so happy to be able to work with Polar Vortex and am excited for what's next!

Salem P., 8th grade

I had a really fun time performing with everyone, and getting to see how talented Maureen really inspired me. I enjoy singing but I have never thought of it as anything more than a hobby, but now I see that someday I could choose to pursue a career in music.

Alexis B., 8th grade

It was the best school trip that I have ever been on.

Lauren D., 6th grade

Read the full press release with additional testimonials here.

Copyright 2025 : The American Pops Orchestra. All rights reserved
Website: CHISHOLM DESIGNS

A Message from The APO

The American Pops Orchestra has made it a priority to not only maintain Pre-COVID content in a virtual form, but also create new content to keep our audience engaged and our musicians employed.  As an organization that strives to break the mold of concerts, we are using COVID-19 to reimagine our normal operations.  Since March we have streamed two full original concerts, created solo performances by instrumentalist and vocalists, rethought our Music and Mindfulness series as a more often and virtual event, and partnered with organizations across the country in our virtual trivia series.  
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In addition, APO has held multiple in-person socially distanced outdoor Porch Concerts that provide our audience with the opportunity to safely see live art despite the current situation around us.  Throughout the pandemic, APO has employed hundreds of musicians and artists and in a time when many other organizations couldn’t. In the words of Maestro Luke Frazier, “we never stopped.”
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Moving forward, APO is proud to present our NextGen National vocal competition which will include students from across the country competing virtually for the chance to win a monetary prize and the opportunity to perform in a future APO MainStage Show. This will include a virtual audition and semi-finals with a live (COVID permitting) finals in Spring of 2021.  APO has also filmed multiple productions that will be broadcast nationally on PBS.  APO has been grateful to keep creating and making music despite the limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and will keep working to bring you, our valued audience, original and unique content.
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To support APO as we keep moving forward you can click here, so that we can continue to employ more artists and musicians.  If you have any questions about what APO has been doing during the pandemic, please email hannah@theamericanpops.org. Thank you and stay safe.