Press

The Tribune Chronicle

November 22nd, 2009

Instrument petting zoo

By Susan Davenny Wyner

Come one, come all! At 3 p.m. on Sunday at Packard Music Hall, the Warren Philharmonic All-star circus comes to town!

The orchestra concert celebrates children with a special family program, complete with an instrumental petting zoo, artworks by schoolchildren and a young soloist.

The program sparkles with a parade of orchestral magic that transports the listener into all kinds of worlds. First, climb aboard Villa Lobos' - "Little Train of Caipira," which chugs along to the whirrings of south American rhythms and percussion instruments.

Then arrive a big carnival circus fair in st. Petersburg, Russia. Here we meet the puppet Petrushka (rather like Punch of "Punch and Judy" fame), whose story is fantastically brought to life by Igor Stravinsky. Meet crowds at the fair, an old magician who brings Petrushka, the Ballerina and the Moor to life so not only do they dance their puppet dances, but we get to know them in their little cells behind the theater as realistic characters.

Stravinsky's music for this ballet has been enchanting audiences since its first performances in 1911, and you can easily hear why. The music is filled with color — from the delicate dances of the silly little ballerina, to a dancing bear, to Petrushka's frustration and despair, to the excitement of the crowds, to the portrayal of Petrushka's death and taunting little ghost. Perhaps he is the one playing a joke on us after all. We can almost see our orchestra players changing costumes before our very eyes.

During intermission, little audience members and their companions are invited to meet the orchestra's instruments at the Instrumental Petting Zoo. This is a chance for them to see how the instruments look and work up close, and maybe even pet them.

After intermission, a circus parade will go to a "Hoedown" in the American West. This cowboy dance from Copland's famous ballet "Rodeo" is so infectious you'll want to kick up your heels and join in the fun. Next, our young guest soloist, violinist Nate Gelfand, 15, will play the Allegro from J.S. Bach's delightful E major violin concerto (while his proud father, Michael Gelfand, cheers him from the orchestra's cello section).

Finally, the parade ends in the kingdom of John Williams' "Star Wars" as our orchestra all-stars play music from "The Empire Strikes Back."

This concert also offers another special feature that excites me very much. This year we created our first ever school-wide "Music in Art" contest. Hundreds of schoolchildren have created art to the music for this concert. The hall will be festooned with their pictures, and after intermission the winners will be awarded their prizes. The orchestra also is performing school concerts for thousands of our school children on Friday morning, and we will introduce our prize-winners to them then. Reaching out to our children and celebrating their gifts are both such an essential part of our cultural heritage and education mission.

I hope you can join us on Sunday. There is a reception in the lobby after the concert. All are welcome.