Phoenix Symphony bringing music to you with a stroll downtown

PHOENIX - Research shows a link between music education and intelligence in kids and arts education as a whole is something that's dying in schools with bigger classrooms and budget cuts.

Michael Christie, the Virginia G. Piper music director of the Phoenix Symphony, and Carolyn Eynon, president of Allegro, a volunteer group at the Phoenix Symphony, joined us to tell us why the arts are so important and what they're doing to educate the community.

The Allegro volunteer group goes to schools to educate kids about what goes on behind the scenes at upcoming symphony events.

One upcoming event will benefit the Phoenix Symphony Education and Community Engagement programs, which Eynon says, influences more than 60,000 young lives each year.

The Symphony Stroll will take place Sunday, January 30th from 4 to 7pm in downtown Phoenix. It will feature three different jazz groups and artists at three different restaurants downtown, including The District, Hanny's and Kincaid's. Participants can stroll from restaurant to restaurant and enjoy complimentary appetizers and drinks at each, along with live music. Tickets are $35 per person or $60 per couple.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Phoenix Symphony's website .