This month's Music and Museum series features a special family-focused performance with a variety of surprises and narrated stories designed for all. Kids of all ages (free concert tickets for 10 and under) enjoy entertaining harmonious selections such as "The Carnival of the Animals," a humorous musical suite of movements by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns. Sound familiar? A segment of this musical suite can be heard in the Disney animated film Fantasia 2000. Other entertaining elements throughout the evening include a special performance by the Bechtler Ensemble, with a special guest narrator and violinist as they present a musical adaptation of the classic 1936 children's book, "The Story of Ferdinand" by the American author Munro Leaf. The adaptation contains music composed by British composer Alan Ridout in 1971 and tells the story of a young bull who would much rather sit under a cork tree and smell the flowers than compete in bullfights with all the other little bulls. However, one misplaced nap under his tree unexpectedly puts Ferdinand into Madrid's major leagues of bullfights. Illustrations from the book by Robert Lawson will be presented during the performance.

Tickets + Registration 

Concert tickets are $10 for members, $14 for nonmembers, and $5 for students (with proof of ID). FREE tickets for ages 10 and under. Advance registration is required to guarantee seating. Each concert is 60 minutes with no intermission. Doors open at 5:30 PM, and concerts begin at 6 PM. Cash bar available.

Members of the Bechtler Ensemble:  

Lenora Leggatt, violin
Kari Giles, violin
Vasily Gorkovoy, viola  
Tanja Bechtler, cello
Pianist, Tomoko Deguchi
Narrator, Frank Dominguez 

Artistic Director: Tanja Bechtler

Program

Selections from Carnival of the Animals for Sting Quartet ............ Saint-Saëns

Ferdinand the Bull for Solo Violin and Narrator............................. Alan Ridout

Piano Trio...................................................................................... Mary Armistead-Jones