Aunt Abby, Grandma Wendy, Cora, Henry, and I loaded into the car and drove downtown to MN Orchestra Hall. With the throngs of other school children, we found our seats and the lights dimmed. The conductor took the stage to thunderous applause.
The concert began with "Flight of the Bumble Bee," "The Oxen," a piece by Hyden with a guest student Cello player on the solo, two pieces from Swan lake with ballet dancers (!) and then it was time for the Carnival of the Animals. The piano parts in all the songs of Carnival of the Animals were played by students from all over the state. AMAZINGLY talented kids! Many of the songs had dancing and cute illustrative props. Cora and Henry were enthralled. When asked afterwards which songs were their favorites, Henry in typical fashion said "All of 'em." But after further discussion, they both agreed that their favorites were by far the "Royal March of the Lions" which featured a male dancer who went running and leaping through the audinence, and the "Finale" which featured two incredibly flexible, tiny and athletic girls who used rings on stage to a grand ending.
The music was so well done and it was pretty incredible to listen to it and realize the amount of talent necessary for a group of people that large to pull off such gorgeous sound. The ballet dancers impressed me too, mostly because their bodies do things I have never been able to do!
My pictures are terrible, but I know Grandma Wendy has a lot of really great ones she's going to send me soon. I'll post those in the place of mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment