Bringing musical education to children has been one of the most important and rewarding aspects of the Natchez Festival of Music since its inception. Each year the Festival presents an appealing children’s opera to students from kindergarten through the sixth grade in surrounding areas in Mississippi and Louisiana, reaching as many as 17,000 young people. The Natchez Festival of Music is fortunate this year to present G Train—the Musical and especially to have the composer, Christian McLeer, here to direct it. He has said that it is such an honor to be able to bring opera to youth, who are the future of music. Members of the cast are enthusiastic about bringing positive messages through music and using a mixture of rap and opera to speak to young people where they are and move them into the music of opera.
	G Train—the Musical tells the story of five extremely dissimilar people who are stuck in a stopped subway car. Moving from their isolation and distaste of one another to working together, they realize that each person is important and has a lot to offer to others. This positive message delivered through beautiful music is an inspiration for people of all ages.
	With the number of requests coming in for this excellent program, we anticipate that over 16,000 children will have positive and exciting experience with the Arts and Opera every year.

Education and edification is the heart of the Festival. Before each major Opera performance, a free performance is offered to the public, going through the background, main characters, story, plot and musical themes of the Opera with a talented cast of performers.

Artists perform each May in Civic clubs, churches, Garden clubs, and other city organizations. Artists also present Outreach Concerts in Communities surrounding Natchez.

May is truly a Magical Month of great Music with Children's Operas, Musical Theater, Light Opera, Comic Opera, special Concerts, Recitals and Grand Opera.