January 24, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … The Kinderkonzerts series, designed for kids in kindergarten through second grade, continues its tour of the orchestra’s families of instruments with a visit to the woodwind section in “Song Soup,” presented by the Oregon Symphony Education and Community Programs Department. This concert, the third in a four-part series, follows December’s survey of the percussion section, “Oh! The Sounds We Make.” The full series features 36 separate performances hosted by selected members of the Oregon Symphony, who will introduce kids to the various instrument families in a cycle of four concerts, each focusing on a different section of the orchestra. “Song Soup,” narrated by Amy Haroldson, aka “Bubbles the Clown,” is a group of nine 30-minute concerts that will take place at three Portland-area elementary schools on Monday, Feb. 24, Wednesday, Feb. 26 and Tuesday, March 4.
This year’s expansion of the initial pilot program will allow the Symphony to reach over 12,000 students in the Portland Metro area. The idea for Kinderkonzerts grew out of the Symphony's Artsvision plan, which recommended age-specific programming. The 2000 Artsvision evaluation, which included focus groups all over Portland to determine how the city’s students interacted with orchestral music, helped decide the location for Kinderkonzerts.
Lent Elementary is an RACC Artsplan partner with the Oregon Symphony, while Peninsula Elementary was selected to further cement ties between the summer “Oregon Symphony in the Neighborhoods” concerts and the north Portland area. The inclusion of McKay Elementary allows the Symphony to bring its educational programs into Washington County.
“Song Soup” will feature Symphony woodwind players, who will demonstrate a wide variety of instruments. The musicians will highlight specific instruments with solo and small ensemble demonstrations.
“Song Soup” will be performed on Monday, Feb. 24 at 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. at McKay Elementary in Beaverton. The concert will repeat at 9:00, 10:00, and 11:00 on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at Peninsula Elementary in north Portland, and the following Tuesday, March 4, at 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. at Lent Elementary in southeast Portland. Tickets are $2/per student. All children are welcome to attend these concerts, and they are open to anybody in grades K-2. Daycare programs and homeschoolers are encouraged to contact the Education Department. For more information about Kinderkonzerts, contact the Oregon Symphony education department Education and Community Programs office at 503-228-4294 or visit the Symphony's Web site at www.orsymphony.org.