NY Philharmonic Very Young People's Concerts Kicks Off 2/28

The 2009-10 New York Philharmonic Very Young People's Concerts, geared to children ages 3 to 6, will begin on Sunday, February 28, 2010, at 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., and continue on Monday, March 1, at 10:30 a.m. at Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67th Street.

This first program, titled "Allegro and Adagio," will explore how tempo makes music fun, featuring the "Autumn" and "Winter" concertos from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons as part of the season's theme, "Vivaldi and Friends." Rebecca Young, Associate Principal Violist, is the host; Dorian Rence, also a violist with the Philharmonic, is the writer and narrator for stories about Philippe the Penguin, a character created for the series and set to the Vivaldi concertos; and Marion Schoevaert is the illustrator.

Now in their fifth season, the Very Young People's Concerts are designed by Philharmonic musicians, working with faculty from Teachers College of Columbia University, to introduce young children to classical music through games, active listening, and hands-on music-making.

Before each concert, musicians are stationed in the Merkin Concert Hall lobby to greet families and initiate musical activities on the day's theme. After each performance, children have an opportunity to try orchestral instruments themselves.

The next Very Young People's Concerts will take place April 11 and 19, 2011, and will feature "Spring" from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons; the May 9-10 concerts will spotlight "Summer" from the same work.

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