One major focus of the Cleveland Orchestra is serving and connecting the community. It achieves this through its many programs. The nonprofit spends time enhancing the Cleveland area with engaging educational programs for people of all ages. Each year, the educational and community programs reach more than 60,000 young people and adults. These programs include:

Concerts for Families: These themed, 60-minute concerts encourage family bonding as well as orchestral music. They feature guest artists, such as young musicians, mimes, dancers, and actors, to engage young children. Free interactive activities follow all family concerts for even more learner and orchestra fun.

PNC Musical Rainbows: These 30-minute concerts allow for students to learn about the different instruments that make up the orchestra. The interactive concerts get students excited about orchestral music by encouraging them to clap and sing along to the music, while also answering all the questions they might have.

PNC Grow Up Great: A Great Early Start in the Arts: This partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District uses music to develop school readiness skills in pre-kindergarten children. Students engage in classroom activities and visits from orchestra members, all while developing academic and social skills.

Education Concerts for Schools: Since 1921, the orchestra has offered 60 minute concerts for students to help engage them in music. These concerts introduce nearly 20,000 students to orchestral music each year.

Educational Concerts: These concerts are great for high school students, as they combine history with music. An example is the Violins of Hope Education Concerts which centered around surviving violins from the Holocaust and what can be learned from such artifacts.

Learning Through Music School Partnership Program: This nationally recognized program connects teachers and orchestra members to work together to integrate music and arts into classroom curriculum. Students develop listening and writing skills while delving into different works of music, as well as enhance their knowledge of culture and history.

Music Study Groups: These groups meet weekly to explore orchestra music. The meetings take place in libraries and community centers on both the west and east sides of Cleveland.

The orchestra's commitment to reaching out to young audiences starts at the top. When asked for his opinions on the educational programs for students provided by the orchestra, Welser-Möst responded, “It is more important than ever that we reach out to them(students).” He values the importance of exposing children to a new kind of music. He further explains his thoughts in the first few minutes of the accompanying interview.