If you’ve been to hear the NC Symphony before, it’s NOTHING like going to one of their Young People’s Concerts! These interactive performances are perfect for children under 12. They will have you up in your seat dancing and will teach you some basic music concepts in the process! They also include some pre-concert fun in the lobby, like testing out some instruments, face-painting, and other hands-on activities.

My husband and I were given tickets to one of these concerts, but we weren’t told it was a show for kids! We had been to the symphony before and knew it wasn’t usually kid-appropriate, so we left our kids at home. Once we got there and realized how kid-friendly it was, we wished we would’ve taken our 3 and 5 year old!

Pre-Concert Fun

In the lobby I heard lots of kids trying out the trombone at the “Instrument Zoo” they had setup for kids. They also had a couple craft stations that were used in the show, such as creating your own mask and baton. During one of the songs in the show they instructed everyone to put on their masks. So it was fun to see audience participation incorporated throughout the concert hall.

The Concert Experience

The concert we attended was titled “Happy Feet to a Latin Beat”. We explored the music of the Americas, from up in Canada to down in Argentina. We learned about the syncopated rhythm of Latin America, and the traditional steady marches from the United States.

Along with us on our journey was an enthusiastic little boy named Max. It was actually an adult dressed up as a muppet-type character, but he was on stage most of the show to act out the music and add comedic relief. Max started the show by interrupting the conductor and filling in the details about the song the musicians were playing. He threw in some child-like humor along the way, such as laughing about the conductors BUTT-on (instead of baton) that he uses to keep the beat.

After causing a few commotions on stage, the conductor asks Max to dance with some children from the audience. During the dance, Max starts doing his own thing and the other dancers end and exit the stage without him realizing. Once Max realizes everyone has left him, he becomes sad and the music changes to a somber melody. Max soon falls asleep just to be whisked away to South America during Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead.

At this point in the show some marionette puppets were used, like Max’s friend Mambo the dog. Mambo finds the bones of a skeleton that create the figure of La Catrina, who is the main figure of the festival. Max dances with the skeleton until she also has to leave. After more adventures containing flashing lights and audience participation, Max returns to Raleigh to finish out the concert with his friends.

Overview

I loved that the concert also provided a theatrical performance with actors and puppets as well as vivid music and audience participation. Children were pulled from the audience to bang drums, clang bells, and dance onstage. The audience was asked to stand up and dance, wear masks, make music with our voices, and shout.. The show explored feelings of loneliness, sadness, excitement, and fear. We learned about different cultures, as well as famous songs and their composers. Parents had babies up in the aisle bouncing with the music and kids were cracking up in the back row. It was the most fun I’ve ever had at a music concert, and I’ve been to many!

I definitely recommend buying a ticket for the next show in the young people’s concert series. It would be a great family outing to explore the arts together and laugh and learn about music. The show lasts for an hour and have showtimes at 1pm and 4pm, which should work around nap time. The auditorium was FILLED with kids, so no need to worry about your kid making a ruckus! Although, they will be so awe-struck at the show that they won’t have time to cause a scene!

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