COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — During the 2025-2026 season, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic is running a 'Free for Kids' program; at select concerts, the purchase of one full-priced, adult ticket allows for up to two kids (ages 7-17) to tag along for free and enjoy live, orchestral music.
The program covers a total of 13 concerts throughout the Philharmonic's season (11 of which are still upcoming); there is a range of adult ticket prices, with some prices starting at under $40.00 and others averaging out to be under $40.00 when utilizing the 'Free for Kids' program.
According to Joye Levy, director of the Center for Future Audiences, a new program within the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, "We know, the way you get to orchestral music is through a childhood event, it doesn't happen often otherwise, so we want to get to as many kids as possible, and that's part of the focus for the Center for Future Audiences."
Chloé Dufresne, the new music director for the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, believes that introducing kids to live music presents a chance for them to find role models, "...they say like, okay, I want to play these instruments, I want to be this person, I want to, yeah, I want to do that later. So, it's more about having models, having people who inspire them, and all of that. So, of course, in a recording, you can't have that. It's just live."
The Colorado Springs Philharmonic plays at both the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts as well as the Ent Center for the Arts, depending on the date/concert series.
This season's concerts will include music by Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Chopin, John Williams, and much, much more.
To find a full list of concert dates/locations that are a part of the 'Free for Kids' program, visit the Colorado Springs Philharmonic's website; important note, if you are looking to purchase a ticket for one of these concerts, you will need to do so in person, at the box office.
The next concert that takes part in the 'Free for Kids' program will take place on November 16th, at the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts, and will feature Beethoven's 5th.
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