Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra Presents the First Performance in the TASTE OF MUSIC Series Today

The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra will hold the first in a series of "Taste of Music" small ensemble performances and Instrument Petting Zoos today, May 10th from 8 am-12 noon at the Chelsea Farmer's Market. The market is located at the Palmer lot located at 222 S. Main in downtown Chelsea. This first event is the kick-off of a three-year program funded by the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan which moves great classical music out of the concert hall and into the community at area farmers' markets.

The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra's Brass Quintet will perform at the Chelsea Farmer's market from 10:00 to 11:30 am. The A2SO Instrument Petting Zoo will be held for the duration of the market. Children of all ages will have the opportunity to try out real violins, cellos, trumpets and clarinets. Child-sized instruments, along with trained "zookeepers" ensure that even the smallest child will have a successful first instrumental experience.

Farmers' markets provide the A2SO with an opportunity to reach diverse populations as well as to provide meaningful work for its professional musicians. This program will also offer complementary concert tickets for the Ann Arbor Symphony's 2014-15 concert season to market customers who are SNAP participants, and at participating sites, beneficiaries of the Fair Food Network's Double Up Food Bucks Program. Taste of Music events will take place throughout the summer at markets in Washtenaw, Wayne, Oakland, and Livingston counties.

The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra is a premier regional orchestra offering live, symphonic

music for audiences of diverse ages and classical music experiences. The A2SO touches the lives of over 76,000 people every year, from tiny tots to seasoned citizens in venues ranging from the Michigan Theater to Hill Auditorium, as well as schools in the five-county area including Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Dexter District Libraries, and senior citizen centers.