How to Program a Successful and Fun Family Concert
Follow these 5 easy steps to keep both children and parents engaged
Violist Adam Smyla performs with the San Francisco Symphony during a free summer concert.
Photo: Courtesy of San Francisco Symphony
Seasoned string players and ensembles know that the classical genre can seem inaccessible to newcomers and especially children, but not many know that there’s a simple way to break through to this audience. A tried-and-true method used by large orchestras and recitalists alike is the family concert. A great family concert pulls back the curtain on everything from the type of person who plays chamber music to how stringed instruments work to what it means to be an audience member regardless of age.
Here are five tips on creating your own family concert.
1. Program a Stimulating Evening
First choose an appropriate location for the family concert. One of the great things about a string ensemble is its mobility. “A chamber group can go to the people,” says Dan Trahey, artistic director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s ORCHkids program.
Trahey suggests taking the show everywhere and anywhere, including gymnasiums, parks, festivals, concert halls, schools, and ...
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