Cultural Kids: Carnegie, Mozart, and More

The Itty Biddies @ Brooklyn Public Library

I think it's very important to expose children to the arts at an early age.  My youngest can't sit still when he hears a beat.  We listen to Ella Fitzgerald often during dinner time and the boy just can't sit still.  I think he even tried to scat once while sitting in his car seat.  Our daughter takes ballet and tap and will soon trade tap for an instrument.  I'm not going to drive myself crazy with too many activities.  Right now, she has an interest in playing the violin.  If it doesn't work, we'll try something new.  In the meantime, exposure is best as stated by Charlotte Mason Method who believed in exposing children to music and art in many different forms.  You'll definitely want to check out the many cultural events listed below and see how your child responds.  Take snacks and alternative enjoyment if they don't like it.  Hey, they're children.  It could go either way.

Here is a list of upcoming cultural events you may want to take your stinkers to.

Cultural Kids: Carnegie, Mozart, and More

Long Island Mozart Festival - Westbury
Saturday, May 26 - Monday, May 28
See times below

Mozart for Children 
11:30 a.m. 
Debbie Surowicz brings her award-winning program to the Festival. Works by Mozart and other composers, carefully chosen for their appeal to children, are used as a basis for story telling, games, movement, and song. Extensive use is made of hand puppets and easy to play small instruments and other musical props. 

Classics for Kids 
12:30 p.m. 
A program designed to introduce children to classical music. An instrument “petting zoo” will precede the concert. 

Main Stage Chamber Music Performance 
2:30 p.m. 
Mozart and Beethoven Sonatas for Violin and Piano, with Violinist Anastasia Khitruk and Pianist Elena Baksht.


*Check out the Picnic Pops series where children 17 and under are FREE!


Click here for complete event info.

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Elizabeth Mitchell & You Are My Flower in Concert
Sunday, June 3rd - Snug Harbor Cultural Center - Staten Island

Time: 2 p.m.

Presented by The McGraw-Hill Companies & Carnegie Kids
These free and interactive 45-minute concerts in all five boroughs feature songs, movement, and instrument demonstrations and create opportunities for musical creativity and play.



Event Description:
With her honeyed voice, quiet spirit, and indie-folk style, Elizabeth Mitchell is not your typical kiddie-music singer. Mitchell sings traditional American folk tunes, original songs, and even Velvet Underground covers: It’s music for all ages that appeals to kids thanks to its approachable melodies and calm pacing. Advocating the importance of singing to one’s children, she performs with her musician husband Daniel Littleton and daughter Storey, along with violinist Jean Cook and a host of talented musical friends..Performers

The Itty Biddies

Thursday, June 7 - Brooklyn Public Library

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Event Description

The rocking Itty Biddies combo will lift you out of your seats from the first note. Their soaring vocals, sweet ukulele, melodic piano, groovy bass, and fat drums take the audience on a journey of the imagination through storytelling and song. Kids and adults will be invited to bring to life a magic suitcase as they head to Africa for a safari, travel by boat beneath the stars, and explore New York City by way of our beloved subway. The Itty Biddies’ cabaret-pop music will have you singing and dancing all the way home.

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Long Island Ballet Center - Ronkonkoma
Coppelia
Friday, July 13th
Time: 2 p.m.
Ticket info: Adult $16, Child $6, Seniors $6, Group Rate $5.

*Upcoming performances include Cinderella, Pocahontas, and Romeo & Juliet
(We missed Little Mermaid (sorry))

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American Ballet Theatre II (Performers are 16-20 yrs old)

ABTKids Workshop Series

Saturday Matinee Pre-Performance Workshops

Share the wonder of dance with your entire family as American Ballet Theatre presents its ABTKids Workshop series, a series of exciting and informative children’s workshops to selected ABT performance at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Each workshop highlights a particular Saturday morning or matinee performance and prepares children ages 4-12 to fully engage in the magic that happens on the stage of the Met. Divided into groups according to age, children participate in activities directed by ABT Teaching Artists. Children are guided through a ballet warm-up and taught a short piece of choreography based on that day’s scheduled performance. In past workshops, children tried their hand at the basics of stage dueling from Romeo and Juliet and bounded through the Fan Dance from Don Quixote.

Click here for complete listings.

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