The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) will take children and families on a musical tour “Around the World” at the 2017 Family Series. These concerts, presented free of charge, are programmed specifically for children ages 3-7 and encourage audience members to listen, play, and participate in the music through interactive programs inspired by children’s literature.
The series will begin this weekend with Tikki Tikki Tembo on Saturday, January 7 at 2:00pm at Davis Street School in New Haven and Sunday, January 8 at 2:00pm at Shelton Intermediate School in Shelton. At the performance, the absent minded professor Dr. Beat (played by George McTyre) and his assistant Allegra (Cheri Brooks) will be joined by three little girls (Nina, Shelagh, and Gia Laverty) in a music-fueled time-travel adventure around the world. The music will be performed by the NHSO Woodwind Quintet, featuring musicians Meera Gudipati, flute; Paul Cho, clarinet; Marta Bortagis, oboe; Kyle Hoyt, horn; and Sue Zoellner-Cross, bassoon. Concert highlights will include music from Israel, Russia, Haiti, and China, where the classic children’s tale “Tikki Tikki Tembo” will be featured.
Starting at 1:30pm before the concert, the NHSO will offer an Instrument Discovery Zone where children can tap, tickle, and toot real orchestral instruments before the 2:00pm performance. Following the concert, families are invited to stay for an afternoon snack. New Haven Reads will partner with the NHSO once again to provide free books for every child who attends the concerts.
The 2017 Family Series will continue on February 18 and 19 with NHSO Brass and Piano plus guest West African drummers at “Anansi the Spider.” The “Three Little Pigs,” the final program of the series this season, will be held on March 25 and 26 and will feature the NHSO string quartet.
The 2017 Family Series is sponsored by the State of Connecticut, the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, the Katharine Matthies Foundation, NewAlliance Foundation, Pitney Bowes, Suzio York Hill, Xerox Foundation, International Association of New Haven, WMNR Fine Arts Radio, New Haven Reads, and Alliance Children’s Theater.
