Stephen Mulligan, Assistant Conductor of the Winston-Salem Symphony, will conduct a program of selected works by Mozart as the Magic Circle Mime Company performs an enchanting tale that is not only entertaining but is also insightful. The performance features a mischievous street musician who gets caught playing the Symphony’s grand piano. Much to her surprise and delight, Maestro Mulligan will give her the chance to “be Mozart” for the concert. The street musician and her companion will then face dilemmas and opportunities similar to those Mozart dealt with during his lifetime. In this process, the audience will experience an entertaining musical adventure and gain an understanding of what Mozart’s life was like.
“Mozart’s music speaks to listeners of all kinds, but it plays a special part in unlocking a young listener’s musical imagination,” said Maestro Mulligan. Our young audience will hear a wide variety of Mozart’s music, from Twinkle Twinkle to The Magic Flute, brought together by the wonderful story of Maggie the Mime.”
As always, the doors will open an hour before performance time at 2 p.m. for a variety of child-friendly pre-concert events including the chance to submit a name for the new Discovery Series Mascot. They will have the opportunity to learn some circus arts including mime. They also will be able to take part in a variety of hand-on activities, including answering Mozart trivia, solving puzzles and brain teasers and participating in other crafts. In addition, they will have a chance to learn to read musical notation by playing “Pin the Note” and will be able to hold, play, and learn about instruments at an instrument petting zoo. Pre-concert activities are included in the price of the concert ticket. Discovery Concert for Kids pre-concert activities partners include the ARCH program of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Music and Arts, the Sawtooth School for Visual Art, and SciWorks.
Single tickets for “The Mozart Experience” are $7 for children, ages three to 12 (age two and under, free) and $18 for adults. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Symphony Box Office at 336.464.0145 or online at WSsymphony.org.
An additional Discovery Concert for Kids, “Get Up and Groove,” will take place on Sunday, March 22 at 3 p.m. at Reynolds Auditorium. “Get Up and Groove” will mix pop songwriting and humor at a high-energy show featuring the Symphony and the Sugar Free Allstars (purveyors of family funk). The Sugar Free Allstars’ All About Bullies Big and Small won the 2012 Grammy for Best Children’s Album.
This concert and the Winston-Salem Symphony are sponsored by Discovery Concerts for Kids Presenting Sponsor Wake Forest Baptist Health Brenner Children’s Hospital and Discovery Concerts for Kids Founder Jeanne Hill, as well as by the Arts Council of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County and the North Carolina Arts Council.