An Orchestra’s Guide To The Young Person
An Orchestra’s Guide To The Young Person is a symphony orchestra concert that enters the imagination of a dozing child. The conductor and main kid banter back and forth as the conductor attempts to recover the concert from the dozing child’s control.
While the “outer concert” features masterpieces by Mozart and Ravel, sequences that enter the child’s imagination feature performances and material students have prepared through the complementary curriculum. Dream sequences introduce a variety of topics from food to pets, and a variety of musical styles from classical to rap. Dream sequences also feature original music by Arthur Bloom, as well as material produced by the students themselves.
Students perform mainly as a chorus, with some performing additional acting, reciting, or singing roles. The performance may also include guest musicians such as an African drummer, and lasts approximately 75 minutes (without intermission). Final performances are popular events that thrill audiences and reflect the circumstances and personalities of the participants.
Students prepare for their role in the culminating performance through a special curriculum and in collaboration with visiting musicians. Through the extraordinary journey that summits in a performance with the orchestra, the program helps students realize through experience rather than words that they are able to achieve ambitious goals, and that hard work is the key.
