The Big Music Lesson was a FREE music event held in March 2001, honoring Music in Our Schools Month, a national month-long celebration endorsed by the President and both Houses of Congress. The Big Music Lesson provided curriculum and visiting artists to prepare students and teachers for a major stage presentation, followed by in-school activities and evaluation.

Oakland East Bay Symphony Artistic Director Michael Morgan led jazz violinist Regina Carter, percussionist Zakir Hussain, Afro-Cuban musician and scholar Rebeca Mauleon-Santana and guitarist Bob Weir in a lecture/demonstration in the San Francisco Davies Symphony Hall stage for 1,000 middle and high school students on March 16, 2001.

Professional musicians from the Musicians Union and the National Recording Academy offered lecture demonstrations to prepare participating schools for performance. An extensive curriculum encouraging creative in-school activities was available to participating schools in traditional format and on-line, where students could express their opinions and explore what they had learned. Teachers, students and educators all provided a wrap-up evaluation.

Students performed lunchtime concerts at City Hall the preceeding Monday through Thursday, cresting with The Big Music Lesson at Davies Hall on Friday. The curriculum is available online.