IA/IL QUAD-CITIES – Looking for a family event that will add culture to your weekend – without straining your wallet? On April 29 and 30, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO) will hold its Family Music Weekend 2017. The weekend will include a Family Music Carnival, a Family Concert, the Quad City Symphony Youth Ensembles (QCSYEs) Side-by-Side Concert, and the Community Wide Side-by-Side Concert.
According to Mark Russell Smith, QCSO Music Director and Conductor, the Side-by-Side performances benefit community participants. “It is a unique opportunity for non-professional musicians to sit side-by-side with the musicians of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra,” he said. “There is so much about music and orchestra playing that can be learned nonverbally, and sitting in the midst of the incredible organism that is the symphony orchestra is a thrilling proposition – for professional and non-professional alike.”
Family Music Carnival
According to Benjamin Loeb, Executive Director of the QCSO, the weekend will feature their second annual Family Music Carnival, to be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 29 in the Great River Hall of the RiverCenter, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport. This free family event for all ages will include games and activities, and a community performance stage will be running all day.
“I’m really excited to present the Dr. Seuss reading marathon, sponsored by Rotary Club of Davenport and Community Health Inc.,” Loeb said. “All of the children’s books of Dr. Seuss will be read and livestreamed on Facebook. What better way to enjoy the magical rhymes of Dr. Seuss!”
Fun Zone activities at the carnival will include:
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Scholastic Book Fair.
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Livestream Marathon Reading of Dr. Seuss children's books. Individual book reading sponsorships are available, and all proceeds support the QCSO Private Lesson Program.
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Musical Instrument Petting Zoo from Grigg's Music and West Music.
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Monster Piano from the Family Museum.
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Musical Plants with the Quad City Botanical Center.
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Other fun musical and literary activities.
The Silver Event Sponsor is BITCO Insurance Companies.
In the addition to those events, the QCSO will hold a raffle and the first prize will be a 49-book set collection of Dr. Seuss’ children’s books.
The Dr. Seuss Marathon at the event reflects a welcome return to the age-old tradition of storytelling. “In the age of social media, I believe we are all storytellers of our own experiences,” said Marc Zyla, QCSO Director of Education and Community Engagement. “There is something for everyone during our Family Music Weekend.”
Family Concert: Dr. Seuss!
Also taking place this weekend is the QCSO’s second annual Family Concert. Two classic tales, The Sneetches and Green Eggs and Ham, will come to life in Family Concert: Dr. Seuss! This magical event will be held 2:30 p.m., April 29, at the Adler Theatre.
These fantastical tales are animated by stage actors, video, and narration, and set to the full symphonic sounds of the QCSO. “For children, it’s extremely important for them to be exposed to all kinds of music,” Zyla said. “It helps to foster a level of creativity and curiosity that can open a world of possibilities to a young person.”
The Sneetches tells a story of class and prejudice within a community of whimsical yellow bird-people. The Star-Belly Sneetches must learn to accept the Plain-Belly Sneetches after a stranger with a bizarre machine turns their world upside-down. Green Eggs and Ham tells the story of the character Sam-I-Am, who pesters a friend to try a most unusual dish.
Family Concert: Dr. Seuss! is conducted by Benjamin Klemme and performed by Iowa natives Michael Boudewyns and Kimberly Schroeder of the performing company, Really Inventive Stuff. Family Concert: Dr. Seuss! is sponsored by the John Deere Foundation and the Hubbell-Waterman Foundation.
“It is an incredible privilege to work with the amazing musicians of the QCSO to present our annual Family Concerts,” said Benjamin Klemme, QCSYEs Music Director and QCSO Associate Conductor. “For many young listeners, this is their first opportunity to hear a live, professional orchestra. In addition to two of Dr. Seuss’ most celebrated tales, the concert will also include Rossini’s Barber of Seville Overture and Tchaikovsky’s Polonaise, from Eugene Onegin.”
QCSYEs Side-By-Side
At 3 p.m. April 30, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra and the QCSYEs will perform on the same stage at the fourth annual QCSYEs Side-By-Side concert at the Adler Theatre, RiverCenter. Over 150 musicians will play together under the direction of Mark Russell Smith. All five QCSYEs Ensembles will perform.
“QCSYEs membership includes the most talented student musicians from throughout the Quad Cities, as well as communities – such as Iowa City, West Liberty, Muscatine, Clinton, and Geneseo – throughout southeast Iowa and northwest Illinois,” said Klemme. “I am constantly awestruck by the musical achievements of my students.”
Klemme added that the concert will culminate in a joint performance by the QCSO and Youth Symphony Orchestra of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. “The program also includes a solo performance by the 2016-2017 QCSYEs Concerto Competition Grand Prize Winner,” he said. “Claire Thomsen is an 11th grade flutist at Pleasant Valley High School and will perform the first movement of Ibert’s Flute Concerto with the QCSO and Mark Russell Smith.”
“For the 2016-2017 QCSYEs season, we had a membership of 270 students from the Quad Cities and the surrounding areas,” said Montana Farrell, QCSYEs General Manager. “Members in our ensembles range from second grade to seniors in high school. We have four youth orchestras and a youth choir. Our Youth Symphony Orchestra is a full symphony orchestra comprised of nearly 100 members. Auditions for QCSYEs membership are open to all students.”
Community Wide Side-by-Side
At 6 p.m. Sunday, April 30, the Community Wide Side-by-Side (CWSxS) will be held at the Great River Hall, RiverCenter. Last year, the QCSO had 226 participants in their efforts to assemble the largest orchestra the QC had ever seen. Join the QCSO this year as they bring back the Big Bang Orchestra to make it larger than ever before. They will be playing Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture under the direction of Mark Russell Smith. CWSxS sign up is available on www.qcso.org.
While the 1812 Overture usually features resounding blasts, audience members won’t have to worry about flying cannonballs. “Sorry, no cannons inside the RiverCenter!” Smith said. “We’ll probably use either a very big bass drum, or possibly a virtual version.”
The 1812 Overture was selected because it is a Quad-Cities favorite. “It is important to pick a piece that everyone knows and loves – a piece that Quad City audiences hear each year at Riverfront Pops, and a piece that is playable and makes sense for such large forces,” said Smith. “This is an incredibly fun event for all of us, and I look forward to seeing the biggest orchestra ever!”
Quad City Symphony Orchestra tickets are available at the QCSO Box Office at 327 Brady St., Davenport. You can also call the QCSO at (563) 322-7276 or visit www.qcso.org.
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