Family Musical Mornings, presented by Farmers and Merchants Bank, Pacific Symphony’s 45-minute concerts for the whole family that engage and entertain young audiences, setting them on the path to a lifelong love of music. These concerts guide you through the secret inner workings of the orchestra with a captivating, multimedia format as the Symphony is joined by guest performers, such as singers, actors, puppets, or dancers.
Family Musical Mornings are a wonderful option for anyone seeking an accessible entry to classical music concert experiences. While the concerts are designed for children ages 5+, we welcome guests of all ages to attend! Whether you have a family with young children, prefer to avoid nighttime driving, or need a shorter experience, we invite you to join us!
Click here to learn more about how Family Musical Mornings work to include audiences of all kinds.
Pacific Symphony programs Family Musical Mornings as an easily accessible entrypoint to classical music. Rather than being purely educational and teaching the audience the “rules of the road” for how classical music works, we trust the audience to form their own thoughts about how music makes them feel. The open and accessible format of these concerts inspires curiosity – a desire to learn more about why music evokes certain emotions and how the musicians work together with their instruments to create such sounds. By introducing each instrument and using multimedia storytelling tools, the conductor and the orchestra show the children in the audience what to listen for and why learning music is fun.
Leopold the Leopard is one of our favorite visitors on the Family Musical Mornings Stage. In the past, he has joined us for shows like Leopold Loves Opera and Leopold and The Magic Flute. Next month, on October 24th, Leopold will bring a Symphony Spooktacular to the stage at Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, with Pacific Symphony’s new Assistant Conductor Moon Doh. The show is written and directed by Leopold’s puppeteer, Victor Yerrid.
Victor Yerrid is a writer, show creator, DGA director, and world-renowned puppeteer.
In the orchestral world, Yerrid has been commissioned by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra to create and produce several family concert series including “The Great Chipmunk Picnic” and “Race for the Reef.” In film and television, Yerrid has been a puppeteer & voice artist for the Jim Henson Company, Sid & Marty Krofft, and The Walt Disney Company for almost thirty years. His work includes Word Party, Sid the Science Kid, Hannah Montana, Sesame Street, Men in Black II, Family Guy, The Simpsons, Community, The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and many more. Read Yerrid’s full bio here.
Victor Yerrid is a graduate of the esteemed Curtis Institute of Music. After working in children’s entertainment for many years, he noticed a gap in live orchestral programming for kids. He has kids of his own, and felt inspired to use his love of puppetry and knowledge of music to write shows featuring characters like Leopold the Leopard. In these shows, Leopold learns all about musical instruments and how music works to share feelings and stories. In Symphony Spooktacular, Leopold will listen to the orchestra play spooky melodies, and together we will learn how the same music that sounds scary at first can be used for celebration!
Symphony Spooktacular is a festive celebration of Halloween for the whole family! Join the fun at Symphony Spooktacular, hosted by everyone’s favorite spotted guide, Leopold the Leopard! This family-friendly concert features playful, spooky orchestral favorites that capture the magic and imagination of the season, such as “Golden”’ from KPops Demon Hunters, “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” “Ghostbusters,” Danse macabre, Night on Bald Mountain, and more!
Costumes are encouraged – dress up and join Leopold for a festive concert filled with music, laughter, and spooktacular fun.
This concert will feature Image Magnification on the big screen for a closer look at the actors and musicians.
Lobby Activities
Be sure to enjoy Halloween-themed activities in the concert hall lobby, including hands-on games, coloring stations, and festive photo opportunities for kids and families.
Lobby activities begin:
9:00 a.m. for 10:00 a.m. concertgoers
12:15 p.m. for 11:30 a.m. concertgoers
Pacific Symphony’s Family Musical Mornings concerts are for the whole family (recommended ages 5+). All concert attendees need a ticket for entry regardless of age.
Learn more about how Family Musical Mornings work to include audiences of all kinds.
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