WAMSO—Minnesota Orchestra Volunteer Association

Kinder Konzerts have been the first exposure to classical music for tens of thousands of young people. Since 1978, the playful, instructive Kinder Konzerts have introduced preschool children to Minnesota Orchestra musicians and their music and to Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis.

Staffed by dedicated volunteers, the Kinder Konzerts program presents 48 concerts at Orchestra Hall each year, reaching over 6,000 children from the Twin Cities and surrounding areas.

The program includes a performance and a music-making experience. Children are invited on-stage to hear musicians from the Minnesota Orchestra introduce their instruments and perform a narrated, musical story commissioned by WAMSO to engage young minds. Children also attend a "Sound Factory" to explore music in a hands-on way.

The 2007-2008 season marks the 30th Anniversary of the Kinder Konzerts program. This year the program features Sweep Dreams, book by Nancy Willard, composed by Minnesota composer Stephen Paulus. To learn more about Paulus and his compositions please visit his website at www.stephenpaulus.com.

2008-2009 Kinder Konzerts Season

Next year's Kinder Konzerts season will feature The Tin Forest, composed by Minnesota Composer Steve Heitzeg. This story has been featured in past years as well as in our Kinder Konzerts on the Road Program, and is always well received by children and educators.

To attend Kinder Konzerts, preschool teachers and parents are asked to download the 2008-2009 Kinder Konzerts Application Information Sheet, and fax or mail to WAMSO. See the Application Form for specific instructions.

The cost is $5.00 per person. One adult is admitted free for every 5 children attending. Payment in advance of the Kinder Konzerts program is encouraged.

Limited scholarship and transportation funds are available for groups with more than 50% of children on public assistance. For more information, call the WAMSO office at 612-371-5655 or e-mail wamso@mnorch.org.

The Kinder Konzert application information and form are available in PDF format. PDFs require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print. You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.

ADOBE ACROBAT

WAMSO encourages teachers to attend a pre-concert curriculum workshop to learn teaching strategies to prepare children for the Kinder Konzerts experience. Teachers from schools and daycare centers who are not attending Kinder Konzerts are also welcome to attend to learn the songs and musical activities to bring the Kinder Konzerts story to life in their own classrooms.

The cost of the workshop is $15 per person. A clock hour certificate for 2.5 hours of professional development is available at the conclusion of the workshop.

Kinder Konzerts Teacher Workshops will be held from 9 AM to noon in the Orchestra Hall lobby on each of the following dates: Saturday, September 20, 2008 and Saturday, January 10, 2009.

To enroll in a Kinder Konzerts Teacher Workshop, download the 2008-2009 Kinder Konzerts Application Information Sheet and Form above, complete the Teacher Workshop section and fax or mail the application form to WAMSO. See the form for specific details.

This program brings Kinder Konzerts to area schools reaching kindergarten through third grades. Kinder Konzerts on the Road features a musical composition by Minnesota composer Steve Heitzeg based on the book The Tin Forest by Helen Ward. The program includes two 35-minute back-to-back programs with up to 150 students attending each program. An ensemble of musicians from the Minnesota Orchestra performs for the concerts. The concert opens with a song and interacitve activites to focus students and set the stage as the musicians are welcomed. Woven through the concert are instrument introductions made by musicians who come forward, talk to the students, and play solo excerpts.

WAMSO volunteers present a Sound Factory, a hands-on pre-concert workshop for children in their classrooms. These activities are designed to prepare students for the concert and give students a chance for hands-on experiences with three instruments (violin, snare drum and rain stick.)

A staff professional development session, tailored specifically to the school’s needs, is held several weeks prior to the concert for the K-3 classroom teachers, and arts and other specialists. Kinder Konzerts on the Road is standards-based and grounded in interdisciplinary links between music and other disciplines.

WAMSO–Minnesota Orchestra Volunteer Association
1111 Nicollet Mall
Minneapolis, MN 55403
Phone: 612-371-5654
wamso@mnorch.org