(Philadelphia, June 10, 2020)—In celebration of National Children’s Day, The Philadelphia Orchestra will present a day of family programming and activities on Sunday, June 14, 2020. Activities will include a new virtual installment of the Orchestra’s popular Sound All Around series, a Suzuki Violin virtual PlayIN, instrument demonstrations, and interactive craft projects. Content will be available for free throughout the day on www.philorch.org/childrensday and www.facebook.com/philorch, starting at 10 AM. [See complete schedule below.] Participants are encouraged to join in discussions on Facebook and to register in advance for the PlayIN. The Virtual Philadelphia Orchestra is generously funded, in part, by the William Penn Foundation. LEARN initiatives of the Virtual Philadelphia Orchestra are supported by Wells Fargo.
“We are so excited to offer this programming for our audiences and artists of the future,” said Juliette Kang, first associate concertmaster and chair of the Orchestra’s Education Committee. “During these turbulent times, it's a comfort to be reminded that young minds are open and developing. We're grateful to have the tools to reach out with music we love. Many of us are committed educators, as well as parents of young children, and are experiencing firsthand the challenges of supporting educational growth. We hope you find this content fun and valuable, and can return to it for inspiration throughout the summer.”
Sound All Around, the popular concert series hosted by award-winning storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston, will return with a virtual program featuring Associate Principal Timpani and percussionist Angela Zator Nelson. Through the art of creative storytelling, Nelson will introduce audiences to different percussion instruments and demonstrate how each is played. The Sound All Around concert series is endowed in perpetuity by the Garrison Family Fund for Children's Concerts.
Following the Sound All Around performance, violinists of all ages will get their chance to perform in a virtual Suzuki Violin PlayIN led by Assistant Principal Second Violin Dara Morales, who will be joined by her daughter on violin, as well. Participants will be able to join Dara and violinists from around the world in this shared music-making experience. The PlayIN will conclude with a question-and-answer session. Participants can register for the event HERE. The Philadelphia Orchestra’s PlayINs are funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Families will also be able to enjoy 15 instrument demonstrations. Intended as a way to introduce children to orchestral instruments and to guide them in their instrument selection, each short demonstration will be led by a musician from the Orchestra and introduced by Assistant Conductor Erina Yashima.
In addition, Orchestra musicians will lead instructional sessions on creating musical instruments from everyday household materials. Associate Principal Horn Jeffrey Lang will demonstrate how to create a French horn using a garden hose. Violinist Paul Arnold and Principal Percussion Christopher Deviney will also lead DIY tutorials.
Activity sheets corresponding to the June 11 Virtual Philadelphia Orchestra concert will be available for download. The concert, which celebrates the Orchestra’s 100th birthday, will be rebroadcast on Sunday afternoon, as well. Intended to encourage active listening, the printable listening maps, guides, and worksheets will provide parents with an added resource for introducing their children to classical music.
Sound All Around
10:00 AM
Charlotte Blake Alston Host
Angela Zator Nelson Percussion
Suzuki Violin Virtual PlayIN
11:00 AM
Dara Morales Assistant Principal Second Violin
Instrument Demonstrations
1:00 PM
Erina Yashima Assistant Conductor
David Kim Concertmaster
Kerri Ryan Assistant Principal Viola
Gloria dePasquale Cello
Joseph Conyers Acting Associate Principal Bass
Patrick Williams Associate Principal Flute
Elizabeth Starr Masoudnia English Horn
Samuel Caviezel Associate Principal Clarinet
Holly Blake Contrabassoon
Jeffrey Lang Associate Principal Horn
David Bilger Principal Trumpet
Nitzan Haroz Principal Trombone
Carol Jantsch Principal Tuba
Don Liuzzi Principal Timpani
Kiyoko Takeuti Piano and Celesta
Elizabeth Hainen Principal Harp
DIY Instrument Crafts
2:00 PM
Jeffrey Lang Associate Principal Horn
Paul Arnold Violin
Christopher Deviney Principal Percussion
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s 100th Birthday Concert
3:00 PM
Wolfgang Sawallisch Conductor
Eugenia Zukerman Host
André Watts Piano
Sarah Chang Violin
Thomas Hampson Baritone
Bach/orch. Stokowski Toccata and Fugue in D minor
Dukas The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2
Sarasate Carmen Fantasy, for violin and orchestra
Copland Selections from Old American Songs
Stravinsky Suite from The Firebird
About The Philadelphia Orchestra
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CONTACTS:
Ashley Berke
215.893.1939
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Natalie Lewis
215.893.3136
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Ashley Stahmer
215.893.3142
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