We have been meaning to see a LOS Kids production for ages, especially as we primarily listen to classical music as a family. I had heard that LOS Kids is a perfect first concert for many kids. It was too late for my daughter, the child of a cellist and now a budding cellist herself, but I was still hoping the concert would keep her interested better than the recent ceiling staring sessions we have struggled through (sorry, dear husband). I’m happy to say, Ravel and Debussy was a success.
The show kept all the pieces to short movements with lots of visual supplements to keep kids from getting too antsy. They even added a short marching number so kids (and parents) had a chance to stand up. For the older kids, the presentation of actors playing Ravel and Debussy provided some entertaining insight into the composers. Kids may also have loved the young pianists and features such as a focus on the harp and live artwork creation. These bits were all fantastic, but the highlight for my 4-year-old was the chance to dance around with a colored scarf (it never gets old).
While some of the dialogue was a bit corny (as expected), I do believe Professor Treblemaker, their character MC, helps keep the kids engaged. I would have loved to see more Treblevision (up close views of the musicians in action), but it was a good mix of different media formats. The one missed opportunity was more dance with Bolero–come on, how can anyone listen to that without dancing?
LOS Kids concerts also give the audience a glimpse into their nonprofit activities supporting a ton of community engagement, musical education, and special initiatives to bring music to kids who wouldn’t otherwise have access. They even help New York City public elementary school students compose music that is later performed for families, teachers, fellow students, and administrators. The nonprofit is supported by local, state, and federal funds as well as quite a few foundations and individual donors.
The next production will be Rodgers and Hammerstein – Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin‘ on March 7th and 8th including short pieces from The Sound of Music, Carousel, & Oklahoma!