The Santa Cruz Symphony Presents

“Peter and the Wolf” Family Concert on Sunday, March 1

Program featuring Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, narrated by Paul Whitworth, the theme to Star Wars, collaborative performances with the Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre, the Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band, and the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony.

Classical music can appeal to all ages, and the Santa Cruz County Symphony’s annual Family Concert, “Peter and the Wolf,” is delightful proof. Held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 1, at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, this performance marks the culmination of this season’s Youth & Education Program, which has been introducing local children to classical music since 1966.

The program features a theme of story-telling. The principal work is Sergei Prokofiev’s timeless musical fable, Peter and the Wolf, which describes an adventure of a little boy and a duck through words and music. Local favorite, Paul Whitworth will narrate, bringing Shakespearean gravitas to this popular piece. The concert will also feature jazz standard, Star Eyes, Bedřich Smetana’s The Maldau, and a piece everyone is familiar with – the theme to Star Wars!

In addition to these lively pieces chosen specifically to entertain and enthrall young and old alike, the Family Concert also features dancers from Santa Cruz Ballet Theatre and a performance with the Kuumbwa Jazz Honor Band. Adventurous children in the audience will also have an opportunity to try conducting the orchestra themselves.

The concert seeks to show young people that playing an instrument in an ensemble can be fun. Young musicians of the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony have the opportunity to play in a professional orchestra and give a visual role model for future musicians to be in the audience. The Family Concert concludes with an opportunity to “Meet the Instruments,” an on-stage event for children to talk to orchestra members and sample playing a wide assortment of orchestral instruments.

Tickets for this performance are heavily subsidized through sponsorship and start at just $8 (plus service fees).

Program Sponsors: The 2015 Youth & Family Program is made possible with core support from the Arts Council of Santa Cruz County, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education and Rowland & Pat Rebele.

Tickets: Single tickets are now on sale. Ticket prices are $8 child / $10 adult advance or $10 / $12 day of show, plus service fees. Call 831.420.5260 or visit SantaCruzTickets.com