Resident Conductor Gemma New leads the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in third Family Concert of the season, Carnival of the Animals, on March 24
Families invited to SLSO's Instrument Playground prior to the concert; members of the Saint Louis Zoo Education Department will host pre-concert activities based on the animals featured in Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals
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(February 25, 2019, St. Louis, MO) – The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will take families on a trip to the zoo without leaving Powell Hall during the Sunday, March 24, Family Concert: Carnival of the Animals. The 45-minute family-oriented concert, led by SLSO Resident Conductor Gemma New and presented without intermission, features Saint-Saëns' beloved musical suite. The suite's 14 movements depict various animals, including lions, elephants, donkeys, kangaroos, and swans. The narrator for the concert will be Emily Bowling, Conservation Education Liaison from the Saint Louis Zoo.
Families are invited to Powell Hall before the concert for the SLSO's Instrument Playground. Starting at 2:00pm before each Family Concert, guests can explore, touch, and play real instruments of the orchestra in this hands-on experience located in Powell Hall's Wightman Grand Foyer.
Representatives from the Saint Louis Zoo Education Department will be available prior to the show with animal biofacts and activities centered around animals that are featured in the movements of the music.
Tickets for this Family Concert are on sale now and start at $8 for children. Tickets may be purchased at www.slso.org or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700.
Sunday, March 24, 2019, 3:00pm
Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO
Gemma New, conductor
Peter Henderson, piano
Nina Ferrigno, piano
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Overture to The Wasps
SAINT-SAËNS Carnival of the Animals
The performance of Carnival of the Animals is the final of three Family Concerts planned for the 2018/2019 season. The SLSO created its Family Concert series to engage and capture the imaginations of younger listeners and make orchestral concerts accessible to parents with young children. For more information about Family Concerts, visit slso.org/family.
About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Celebrated as one of today's most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 139th year with the 2018/2019 season and Music Director Designate Stéphane Denève. Widely considered one of the world's finest, the SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community connections – all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.
In addition to its regular concert performances at Powell Hall, which has been the permanent home of the SLSO for 50 years, the orchestra is an integral part of the diverse and vibrant St. Louis community, presenting free education programs and performances throughout the region each year. It presents St. Louis Symphony Live at the Pulitzer, a four-program series at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. The SLSO also serves as the resident orchestra for Opera Theatre Saint Louis, with this season marking the 42nd year of their partnership.
The Grammy Award–winning SLSO's impact beyond the St. Louis region is realized through weekly Saturday night concert broadcasts on St. Louis Public Radio, acclaimed recordings, and regular touring activity. A sought-after artistic partner by preeminent musicians and composers from across the globe, as well as by local and national organizations, the SLSO enjoys a long history of robust and enduring artistic collaborations that have developed and deepened over the years.
Today, the SLSO builds on the institution's current momentum on all fronts, including artistic, financial, audience growth, and community impact, and looks toward the future with Stéphane Denève. Denève, who has been a frequent guest conductor with the orchestra since 2003, begins his tenure as Music Director with the 19/20 season, following this season as Music Director Designate. For more information, visit slso.org.
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