The Winston-Salem Symphony will launch its fun and exciting three-concert Ignite Family Series this fall. These concerts provide an interactive experience that the entire family can enjoy while introducing the youngest audience members to the joy of live music. In addition to the concerts themselves, all Ignite performances feature a variety of preconcert activities, including crafts, games, story times, and an instrument petting zoo that gives all kids a chance to make some sounds just like the musicians on stage.
“A live concert experience can be a defining moment for young minds, opening up a whole new world of music and imagination,” said E. Merritt Vale, Winston-Salem Symphony President & CEO. “The Symphony’s mission is to bring music to life, and these concerts aim to do that for the most junior members of our community. They not only encourage young people to appreciate music from a young age, but they are also fun and can provide a great afternoon of entertainment for the whole family.”
The Seuss-filled “Green Eggs & Ham: A Musical Setting By Robert Kapilow” kicks off the series on Sunday, October 23, at SECCA’s McChesney Scott Dunn Auditorium. This concert will be an excellent fit for some of the youngest listeners who may just be discovering the joy of books and can now experience this time-honored classic jumping off the page to become music for a chamber orchestra and singer. Rob Kapilow’s brilliant musical setting of this Dr. Seuss favorite is sure to capture the imagination of all ages.
The musical adventures continue at R.J. Reynolds Memorial Auditorium on Sunday, February 5, 2023, with “Worldwide Playlist: Dancing Around the Globe.” Check your boarding pass and join the full symphony orchestra for a journey to discover dance music and rhythms from the world over! Hear music from North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East—and learn about rhythms native to cultures from around the globe. This sensory-friendly experience will be fun for music lovers of all ages.
“The Music of Star Wars: A Young Padawan’s Concert” wraps up the series on Sunday, May 7, 2023, at R.J. Reynolds Memorial Auditorium. Kids are invited to put on their Jedi robe, grab a lightsaber, and help the Symphony defeat the dark side! Guest Conductor Christopher James Lees returns to our stage for this kid-friendly length concert celebrating the music of John Williams and the Star Wars saga.
The three Ignite concerts have been specifically designed to entertain and inspire listeners of all ages by combining the narrative of theater with the magic of music while also encouraging a love of reading, exploration, and film. In addition to Ignite, families have more musical options this season. Music lovers, young and old, will be thrilled by acrobatic stunts and heartwarming Christmas favorites at “A Carolina Christmas” on November 26 and 27, 2022, as Cirque de la Symphonie gives the holiday season a soaring start. Then on February 18, 2023, the Winston-Salem Symphony presents the annual, admission-free “Concert for Community,” which features a large orchestra of Youth Symphony students playing side-by-side with their professional counterparts in the Winston-Salem Symphony. The concert also spotlights the winners of the season’s Peter Perret Youth Talent Search and allows two virtuoso youngsters to shine in front of the Symphony orchestra.
Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at wssymphony.org or by calling the Symphony Box Office at 336-464-0145.
