Time for tunes
Symphony brings its 'family' to our families

Jan 14, 2008

Author: Jim Kershner

Position: Staff writer

Source: Spokesman Review

If you go
When: Saturday, 2 p.m., pre-concert activities begin at 1.

Where: Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague.

Tickets: $10 adults, $5 children under 13, available by calling the symphony box office, (509) 624-1200 or TicketsWest outlets (509-325-SEAT, 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketswest.com).

This year, the "family" in the Spokane Symphony's Fantastic Family Fun Concert has two meanings.

• This is a family concert, designed with kids in mind.

• Yet it's also a "family" concert, meaning that it will introduce the audience to the orchestral "families": the strings, the woodwinds, the brass and the percussion.

Associate conductor Morihiko Nakahara will preside over this one-hour concert, broken up into quarter-hour segments for each of these instrumental families.

It will begin with the strings, in which they will do a fanciful portrayal of the Stradivari family of Italy, attempting to choose the proper piece to play in a fictional "Italian Idol" concert. Then each of the other families will get their own whimsical showcase, ending with the pounding fun of the percussion section.

Yet the fun actually begins long before the concert begins. Beginning an hour before show time, the lobby of the Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox will be buzzing with activities for kids. The largest instrument "petting zoo" of the year will be available so that kids can grab instruments and make all manner of squawks, bangs, honks and blasts.


In addition, Mobius Kids will be there to help kids make their own art-deco designs (in an homage to the Fox setting) or their own musical instruments.

You think it's hard for kids to make their own musical instruments? Not percussion instruments. Kids will be encouraged to use their handmade percussion instruments during the "percussion family" section of the concert.

The lobby will also be the site of two musical presentations. Music and Movement will encourage children to move rhythmically. Zingamarimba, a marimba group from Whitman Elementary, will show off its tropical sounds.