Ken n e th Adam
This season’s Music Box
The series has proven
concerts—three in the fall,
so popular at the
three in the spring (the spring
series begins on March 29
Meyerhoff that each
with Bugs!)—follow a preprogram will
scribed format—four or five
BSO musicians, chosen based
also be presented at
on the concert’s theme, acthe Music Center at
company Broom, who teaches the older kids and their
Strathmore beginning
parents and caregivers the
this spring.
words set to familiar tunes
like Row, Row, Row Your Boat
and Twinkle, Twinkle. At a
recent concert about large
animals, for example, Broom
sang “Gorillas go marching
one by one” to the tune of
Ants Go Marching. There’s always a “bouncing” activity, says
Bogash, when the adults can bounce the little ones “so they have
a rhythmic connection,” and there’s also a clapping song, she
says. “It’s amazing; we’ve had six-month olds clapping in time
to the music.”
About two years ago, Broom says, she got a call from Bogash,
who described her idea for a music program for the very young.
“She said, we think you’d be perfect for hosting it,” Broom recalls. Then Broom, along with Bogash and Annemarie Guzy,
the BSO education director, spent about nine months discussing and developing the idea. Bogash notes she collaborated with
Learning at Five, a child readiness program, when creating the
series. They decided on simple themes like Teeny Tiny Critters;
Arctic Animals; and Cars, Trucks, Trains and Boats, rewriting the
words to familiar children’s songs to fit the themes.
“I’m awestruck by the musicians,” says Broom. “These symphony players come in to rehearsals and treat it so professionally
—they’re playing Hickory Dickory Dock on a French horn.”
But Broom, who points out that the musicians also play several
classical pieces, believes this approach is valuable for children.
“Clickety Clack is not Tchaikovsky; it isn’t symphonic music.
BSO violinist Ellen Troyer performs for the kids
attending the Music Box series.
But children get to hear it played on these amazing instruments
by professional musicians,” she says.
D’Arcy Talley grew up surrounded by music. Her family, she
says, “Sings together—at the dinner table, with a piano, you name
it.” She herself sang in the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen contemporary choir until her twins were born. So when she learned
of the Music Box Series, she immediately bought tickets. “I want
my kids to be exposed, as I was, to all realms of music.”
Talley’s parents took their daughters to the symphony when
the girls were young, and remain season ticket holders with the
BSO. Therein lies another benefit of the Music Box Series: Unlike
Talley, many of the young parents, says Bogash, “may not have
been to the BSO,” says Bogash. “We’re bringing in new audiences”
beyond just the children.
The Midweek Education Series
BSO Academy Programs provide
Ready at Five is an initiative
provides inspiring music to over
35,000 children in pre-kindergarten through the sixth grade.
amateur musicians opportunities
to rehears