Discovery Concerts for Kids

Last year, I was invited to attend the Winston-Salem Symphony for one of their Kicked-Back Classics concerts.  I had never been to the symphony previously and was a little hesitant on saying yes.  Within minutes of taking my seat for the concert, I knew I was in for a delightful surprise.  I enjoyed the evening immensely, and suggested the next kicked-back classics series to my supper club.  A large group of our friends attended, and all those present, men and women, had nothing but rave reviews.  So now what is the next step?  Introducing the symphony to my kids!

The Winston-Salem Symphony hosts Saturday afternoon one-hour concerts specifically designed for children.  The Discovery Concerts for Kids are the perfect length of time to keep your kids’ attention.  In addition, they are still fun for the “kid” in all of us.

Since I have not yet attended one of these Discovery Concerts, I wanted to be sure to get the Moms’ Seal of Approval, and asked Dawn Opel for a testimonial.  Here is what Dawn had to say, “My husband Ryan and I have been taking our five-year-old son, Ian, to the WSSO Discovery concerts since he was four years old.   Ian loves the activities before the concerts, where kids learn about the instruments and musicians in the orchestra through games and art projects.  I find that it is really suited for kids ages preschool and up, but if parents have a younger sibling in tow, it is not a problem at all!  I love that there is a constant hum in the hall from kids asking their parents questions and talking.  It is a really interactive experience, so kids cannot do wrong (no one blinks an eye at a crying baby), and are welcomed to participate.  The maestro often asks questions and uses kids from the audience.  My son loves that the concerts have kid-centered themes (sports, animals, circus, etc.) and often play familiar tunes from television and movies.  We highly recommend the Discovery series!!”

This month, we invite you and your children to attend “Beethoven in the House” with conductor Matthew Troy and a guest appearance by the one and only “Beethoven” himself!  You are invited to “Come along on a journey with a young student and his new friend Ludwig van Beethoven, as we learn about this famous composer and hear some of the greatest music ever written.”

To make the afternoon even more enjoyable, there will be pre-concert activities, including an instrument “petting zoo,” and storytelling.  These festivities begin at 1:00 pm and the concert begins at 2:00 pm.

This concert will be held at K.R. Williams Auditorium on the campus of Winston-Salem State University.  Single Tickets are $5 for children ages 3 – 12, $9 for adults, and free for children 2 and under.

As always, Triad Moms on Main has a special surprise for you!  Simply leave a comment on this blog today and your family can win 4 tickets to this weekend’s concert!  (Two adult and two child tickets)  Leave your comment between now and Wednesday afternoon.  We will choose TWO winners through Random.org on Wednesday evening. Please leave your full name so we can contact you if you are a winner!

We hope to see many of you on Saturday!

Beethoven in the House
Saturday, January 29, 2011
K.R. Williams Auditorium
Pre-concert activities begin at 1pm
Concert is at 2pm
For information and tickets, call 336-464-0145 or www.wssymphony.org/discovery.
Be on the lookout for the next Discovery Kids Concert in April, “All Fired Up!”