The mission of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is to transform people and communities through music. LPO programming also supports youth development both in and through the arts, an approach to learning correlated with cognitive, emotional, and social growth and measurable student achievement. 

Because the LPO is the only full-time professional orchestra in the state, our programming fills a void in education and community services with regard to orchestral music exposure and hands-on interaction with or beside orchestral musicians. We pride ourselves on developing programs that are responsive to identified community needs for life-affirming arts and arts-integrated programming at little or no cost. Historically, the LPO attracts an average audience of 62,000 people which includes more than 10,000 students. LPO programming supports youth development both in and through the arts, an approach to learning correlated with cognitive, emotional, and social growth and measurable student achievement. In the past ten years, our education and community engagement programs have doubled; we offer a healthy mix of traditional orchestral education concerts to engage young audiences alongside forward-thinking community programs for which we have been recognized with national, highly competitive awards. Music for Life offers free weekly mentoring through music, including intensive music instruction, to children aged 6-18 at 5 sites throughout New Orleans; we were one of three orchestras in the nation to receive support from Carnegie Hall to pilot this program. Soul Strings serves people of all ages with developmental disabilities and cognitive impairments at four sites in New Orleans through free music therapy.