The San Antonio Symphony’s busy season continues, but a slew of concerts over the last two days, is for an audience unlike most. Children by the hundreds filed, in surprisingly orderly fashion, into the Tobin Center Friday to hear "The Planets" by Gustav Holst.
"We have over 3,000 students coming here this morning to hear the concert,” said Jeremy Brimhall, the San Antonio Symphony’s Education Director.
(Click on ‘Listen’ above to hear the symphony)
"The music is so powerful and it showcases our orchestra so well.”
That was Akiko Fujimoto, the Associate Conductor of the Symphony. She continues.
“I think the students will be able to hear every section of the orchestra.”
The Young Peoples’ Concerts are used as educational tools.
“We develop a teacher’s guide, it has a lot of resources to help get kids acquainted with the music in advance.”
A pre-event, interactive slideshow revealed they had been studying. But Fujimoto said the real pleasure is in the music.
“It’s actually a virtuosic piece for the orchestra and the conductor. Just because the tunes and the harmonies are memorable, they don’t make it any less challenging. It’s really a wonderful piece to play and very exciting.”
Daniel, a student from Woodlawn Academy, thought so, too.
“They did a really good job. There were like different kinds of instruments I’ve never heard of, but now I know what they are.”
And there you have it. Another young person reached through music. We've more on the San Antonio Symphony here.
