Annual ‘Young People’s Concert’ to teach and inspire local students next week
HUNTSVILLE — Fourth-graders will have a unique opportunity next week to learn about the various components of a symphony orchestra at a concert designed just for them.
Nearly 4,000 of these students are expected to experience this “Young People’s Concert” hosted by the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra (HSO) in conjunction with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild and SAIC. It will take place at the Von Braun Center’s Mark C. Smith Concert Hall Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at 9:30 a.m. and noon.
According to Lauren Jones, marketing and development associate with HSO, this free program will utilize a musical theme, or main melody, to introduce students to each family of instruments. It will first be played as a full orchestra. Then, each family of instruments will also play the theme. Each variation will feature an instrument in depth, moving through each family from high to low.
In a sense, the orchestra will be “broken into pieces,” and then it will be “reassembled” piece by piece in the same order as before.
“It is narrated so the children are very easily able to understand what is going on,” Jones said.
Huntsville M.E.T. will add another visual element to the performance using puppetry.
Gregory Vajda, HSO Music Director and Conductor, will lead the orchestra in a performance of Benjamin Britten’s “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.” This was written as a way to introduce listeners to each section: woodwinds, brass, strings and percussion. The theme of the concert comes from a dramatic piece composed by Henry Purcell more than 250 years ago.
A special piece will also be performed by Ethan Wan, the winner of HSO’s Young Artists Auditions.
Through the Young People’s Concert, HSO aims to “instill in [students] a lifelong love of this art.”
The orchestra and guild invite all schools in the area to bring their students to this event. Any schools interested in participating should contact Education Director Sharon Hicks at 256-539-4818 or sharon@hso.org.
Families will also have the opportunity to attend the “Family Concert” Feb. 2 at 11 a.m., which is free and open to the public. Free activities will begin beforehand at 9:30 a.m., including Music Explorers Club, the Instrument Petting Zoo, musical chairs, face painting, crafts and more. The hourlong concert that follows will also be Benjamin Britten’s “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.”
“In years past, we have had great success with both the Young People’s Concert and the free Family Concert,” Jones said. “… We have a nearly full house each year.”
The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra is a local nonprofit organization that has built a strong reputation as one of the area’s premier performing arts groups. They are known for their attention to artistic quality, community support and service through education. For more than 60 years, HSO has worked to inspire a wide range of audiences through their concerts and award-winning education programs. For more information, visit hso.org.
The Mark C. Smith Concert Hall at the Von Braun Center is located at 700 Monroe St. SW in Huntsville.
