Rhythm rocks!
Symphony engages kids with music from the ages
KITCHENER — With his years as a music teacher in Calgary while simultaneously conducting orchestras, Daniel Bartholomew Poyser learned a thing or two about what kids like, musically speaking.
“Given my educational background being a teacher, I did choose a program thinking what would kids enjoy listening to,” said the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony’s assistant conductor.
On Saturday afternoon, the symphony’s Family Series launches its new season with Rhythm Rocks! — a short program less than one hour long and focused on engaging kids age four to 12 at Centre in the Square.
The highly interactive program will explore the essence of rhythm, how composers through the ages have used rhythm to elicit an emotional response from the audience and the musicians. There are the beautiful melodies of Beethoven, as well as the sometimes jarring nature of Stravinsky’s pieces.
“They’re going to hear music from 400 years ago and four years ago: swing, reggae and big orchestral pieces,” he said. “It’s very participatory. If you have a fidgety kid, this is a show for fidgety children.”
Dancing and grooving along to the music is not only allowed, it’s encouraged.
The family series was designed to introduce kids to music on a larger scale than what they might be used to, performed with a 52piece orchestra.
“We want to have the kids listen to the music, enjoy it and understand it,” said Bartholomew-Poyser, who is in his final season of a three-year contract with the symphony. The assistant conductor position, established in 2011, was designed to provide up and coming young conductors an opportunity to work with a world-class orchestra.
One of his choices, Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 2” in C minor composed in 1872, was chosen for its unique ability to make little ones sit up in their seats and listen.
The ending, he said, is dramatic, pounding and attention getting.
Other selections, Strauss waltzes and Gershwin’ tunes, are all about smooth melodies while Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” is a piece of music that is big and at times raucous.
All family series concerts have additional activities build in, such as an instrument petting zoo where kids can meet some of the symphony’s musicians, touch the instruments, engage in art activities hosted by the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery and there is a program called My First Music Lesson, where kids will learn a few basics from musicians.
The symphony also runs a Kinderconcert Series, in various locations in Waterloo Region, starting Oct. 8.