Save the date: Fun-filled December for live performances and events

Three Carolers Christmas Lights by Shari Weinsheimer

The month of December simply sparkles with family oriented activities. Be sure to grab your calendar and save the date for this outstanding line-up.

AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is brimming with fun-filled entertainment and activities that are prefect for families. 

Below is a list of upcoming events that are sure to please.

Talking About Words and Pictures
with author, illustrator, musician, Barney Saltzberg


Sunday, December 4, 2011
11:30 am - In the Auditorium
Doors open for this event at 11:00 am
Museum opens at 12:00 pm
Free; Museum Admission extra

Join The Carle’s bookseller, blogger, and book-lover, Andy Laties as he engages Barney Saltzberg in a conversation about his career and his books.

Book signing to follow.

OOPS…From Blunder to Wonder
A Magical Musical and Visual Journey with Barney Saltzberg


Sunday, December 4, 2011
1:00 pm - In the Auditorium
Free with Museum Admission

Join Barney as he takes you on a magical journey through words pictures, and song. Learn about the creative force behind the bestselling Peekaboo Kisses, Good Egg, and Beautiful Oops!, his latest one-of-a-kind interactive book that shows young readers how every mistake is an opportunity to make something beautiful.

Book signing to follow

Handmade Cards and Books

Thursday, December 8, 2011
1:00 - 5:00 pm - In the Art Studio
$50 (Members $45)
Ages 16 and up

With the holidays just around the corner, learn how to create handmade cards and unique books for those friends and family on your gift list. We’ll cover our favorite bookmaking techniques for teachers, librarians and parents to adapt to your classroom, library or home. You’ll go home with a collection of small handmade books and the techniques to create them again and again.

Instructor: Diana MacKenzie

Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register.

An Evening with Jules and Kate Feiffer

Thursday, December 8, 2011
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm - In the Auditorium
Free

Pulitzer Prize-winning father and acclaimed children’s book author, Jules Feiffer and his daughter, Kate Feiffer have collaborated on a number of books. Whether seizing a moment in history or paying homage to a parent/child memory, this team is one you will not want to miss. 

Bound by love, respect and good humor Jules and Kate will share tales of their collaborations and thoughts on their craft in a presentation designed to entertain and inform all who attend.

Book signing to follow

The Best of the Best in 2011 with Susan Bloom

Saturday, December 10, 2011
1:00 pm - In the Auditorium
Free with Museum Admission

This highly popular annual event is in anticipation of the 2012 Caldecott Medal, which is awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children for the preceding year. Susan Bloom selects her favorites. Learn from this outstanding professor of Children’s Literature and reviewer for The Horn Book what makes these books rise above the rest.

Special Storytime with Micha Archer

December 10, 2011
2:00 pm - In the Reading Library
Free with Museum Admission

As an artist, Micha Archer has been inspired by her travels around the globe and the challenge of making pictures that are both beautiful and informative. Join her for a Special Storytime in the Reading Library where she’ll read from her newest book and talk about her process as an artist.

Book signing to follow.

 

Mouse and Lion

 

December 18, 2011
2:00 pm - In the Reading Library
Free with Museum Admission

Join first-time author Rand Burkert (illustrator’s son) and Caldecott Honoree, Nancy Ekholm Burkert as they share the story behind their first collaboration, Mouse and Lion. After talking about the inspiration and process behind the extraordinary art created for the retelling of one of Aesop’s most well-known fables, Rand will perform a selection of original songs and music inspired by the tales of Aesop and drawn from an album he recently produced. This is a program featuring wonderful music and great art to be enjoyed by all.
Book signing to follow.

CactusHead Puppets Presents The Just So Stories

December 27 and December 28, 2011
2:00 pm - In the Auditorium
$5 (Members $4.50)

The Cactus Head Puppets present three stories of mischief and magic that tell how some of your favorite animals came to be, in charming and silly adaptations of How the Camel Got His Hump, How the Rhino Got His Skin and The Beginning of the Armadillos.

Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Museum Admissions Desk or by calling (413) 658-1126.

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 

125 West Bay Road | Amherst, MA 01002 | Phone: (413) 658-1100

www.carlemuseum.org

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

BOSTON CIVIC SYMPHONY PRESENTS A FAMILY HOLIDAY POPS

Holiday favorites, a sing along, and a visit from Santa - the Boston Civic Symphony’s Family Holiday Pops has it all.

This year’s concert will take place on Saturday, December 17, 2:00 pm at the Fine Arts Center, Regis College in Weston.

Conductor Max Hobart and the orchestra will perform traditional holiday music featuring soprano Deborah Selig as soloist.

A special treat this year will be the performance of seven year old Sophie Burns, who will sing “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth,” composed by her great-grandfather Donald “Pops” Gardner.

Children will have the opportunity to come onstage to sing to Santa and to conduct the orchestra.

There’s free parking at Regis College and free refreshments provided

Tickets go fast on this concert, and were sold out last year.

Tickets are $20.00 for adults and $10.00 for children, and may be purchased online through the orchestra’s web site at http://www.bostoncivicsymphony.org/ or by calling 1-800-595-4TIX.

For more information, please call 1-617-923-6333.

HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK CITY, WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT & WEST NYACK, NEW YORK

Mama Doni &The Mama Doni Band Bring National Tour to the Tri-State Area with ‘CHANUKAH FEVER’

  
Hot on the heels of a tremendously successful summer tour, the fall/winter Mama Doni National Tour has begun.

Mama Doni and The Mama Doni Band are highlighting the Chanukah season with four special “Chanukah Fever” shows in the NYC tri-state region from December 11 – 18.

Families can join in Mama Doni’s high-energy pre-Chanukah festivities at concerts in Manhattan and West Nyack, NY.
 
There will also be shows in West Hartford, CT and Hoboken, NJ.  Performance details are below.

Doni Zasloff Thomas, a.k.a. Mama Doni, is the lead singer/songwriter of The Mama Doni Band, honored with a 2011 Parents’ Choice® Award for their recent release, Shabbat Shaboom, and winner of the Simcha Award for “Inspiring Joy Through Music” in competition with more than 100 bands from 15 different countries at the 2008 International Jewish Music Festival in Amsterdam.

The band celebrates Jewish culture with irrepressible zest in its interactive family rock concerts filled with catchy pop songs that break the mold of traditional Jewish music. Quirky, offbeat, and unpredictable, The Mama Doni Band offers up a contagious and unexpected blend of reggae, rock, disco, Latin, klezmer and “Jewgrass” – all woven together with a hip Jewish sensibility.

Mama Doni promises plenty of surprises throughout this year’s Chanukah concerts, including giveaways of chocolate gelt, Mama Doni CDs, posters and free downloads of Mama Doni songs to everyone in attendance.

According to Carrie Stetler in The Star-Ledger, Doni Zasloff Thomas “is proud to have a schtick. And that schtick, she says, is to ‘Jewify’ all forms of music – from country to reggae to holiday songs.”  The Miami Herald enthused, “Not since Woody Allen's Radio Days has American Jewish youth culture been celebrated with such a sublime mix of silly and substantive.”


Kids will boogie like a dreidel, air guitar with the band (“Latke Man” style), join in an applesauce vs. sour cream rock-along, and chime in on the eternal question of "Chanukah" or "Hanukah.”  Rocking out for Chanukah, Mama Doni & The Mama Doni Band will perform such “latkelicious” songs as "The Funky Gold Menorah,” "La Vida Dreidel,” and "I Say Chanukah (You Say Hanukah!).” The band will go all out with a wild bluegrass version of  “Honey, This Ain’t Money” (about Chanukah gelt), and, as a special treat, several new songs will be showcased, including the soon-to-be-famous “The Land of Sufganiyot” (a reggae song about jelly doughnuts).

Parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles should join in the fun and come prepared to get up and dance at these spirited Jewish rock concerts that guarantee that Chanukah will never be the same.

CHANUKAH FEVER! WITH MAMA DONI & THE MAMA DONI BAND

WHEN:     Sunday, December 11, 4:00 p.m.
WHERE:  JCC Rockland, 450 West Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994
TICKETS: In advance: $8 members, $12 non-members; at the door: $10 members, $15.00 non-members.
INFO:        845-362-4400.  http://www.jccyofrockland.org/

WHEN:     Saturday, December 17, 6:30 p.m.
WHERE:   Mandell JCC, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117
TICKETS: In advance:  $10 members, $12 non-members; at the door: $12 members, $15 non-members.
INFO:        860-231-6316 .  http://www.mandelljcc.org/


WHEN:      Sunday, December 18, 10:30 a.m.

WHERE:   Kaplan Cooperative Preschool at United Synagogue of Hoboken, 115 Park Ave., Hoboken, NJ  07030
TICKETS: Synagogue members $10.  Non-members $18. Kaplan preschool students, free.
INFO:        201-222-9696.  http://www.hobokensynagogue.org/


WHEN:      Sunday, December 18, 3:00 p.m.

WHERE:    92nd Street Y, Bronfman Center for Jewish Life, Buttenwieser Hall,1395 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10128
TICKETS:   $15
INFO:          212-415-5500.  http://www.92y.org
 

MORE IN NEW YORK CITY

Symphony Space, the Upper West Side cultural mecca with its Just Kidding series, offers some wonderful family-centric events this month - everything from discovering Chris Van Allsburg's new book, and enjoying captivating American folk music with Elizabeth Mitchell and friends, to joining in on the New Year's Eve countdown till noon with Tim & the Space Cadets.  Take a look at these fun offerings below.

Thalia Kids' Book Club: Chris Van Allsburg with Jon Scieszka

Sunday, December 4, 1 pm

Tickets are going fast for this latest event in the highly interactive author series for kids ages 8 to 12.

Chris Van Allsburg, the winner of two Caldecott Medals, for Jumanji and The Polar Express, talks about his acclaimed new short story collection The Chronicles of Harris Burdick, in which skilled storytellers such as Kate DiCamillo, Stephen King and Sherman Alexie spin imaginative tales inspired by the original illustrations from Van Allsburg’s 1984 wordless classic, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick.

Top author and Harris Burdick story contributor Jon Scieszka joins the conversation and performs his story "Under the Rug."

Tickets: $15

Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower with Special Guests

 

Saturday, December 17

11 am

Smithsonian Folkways artist Elizabeth Mitchell's gentle, heartfelt music transfixes audiences of all ages with homespun renditions of great songs by Woody Guthrie, Bob Marley, The Velvet Underground, Vashti Bunyan, Gillian Welch and more. The quiet sweetness and intimacy of her concerts cement her as an icon whose music will be remembered for years to come. Dan Zanes says, “This is the family music that I love---soulful, mysterious, inclusive and rollicking!"

For this holiday time performance, Elizabeth and her family band (husband Daniel Littleton and daughter Storey) will be joined by some very special musical guests. 

Ticket holders will also be eligible to enter a raffle for a child-sized ukulele and other great prizes.

Tickets: $13 to 20

December 17th  is the Just Kidding Members' Holiday Party!

Join other Symphony Space Family Members for cookie decorating after the Elizabeth Mitchell show. Call 212.864.1414 x223 to become a member and RSVP for the party.

A New Year's Eve  'Countdown to Noon' Family Concert with Tim & the Space Cadets

Saturday, December 31,

11 am

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with Tim & the Space Cadets, a dynamic family-friendly NYC based pop rock band. It' will be an end-of-year party the whole family will remember.

Tim’s songs exist somewhere in the realm between Raffi and Blink-182, inspired by memories of school days, snow days, pizza parties  and summer vacations. Their song “Superhero” enjoys frequent spins on Sirius-XM’s Kids Place Live.

Kids are invited to bring party hats and tooting horns to help ring in the New Year.

Tickets: $13 to $20

Symphony Space is located at 2537 Broadway (at 95th Street) in New York City.
For ticket information, contact the box office at (212) 864-5400 or boxoffice@symphonyspace.org

SAN FRANCISCO & CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA

Peter and the Wolf 

Conductor/Performers

Donato Cabrera
conductor

Chita Rivera
narrator

San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra 



Delight your children with the annual presentation of Peter and the Wolf including festive holiday songs- perfect for music lovers of all ages. The legendary Chita Rivera joins the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra as special guest narrator for this charming tale. You'll also enjoy classics from The Nutcracker and more!

Program

Tchaikovsky

Russian Dance from The Nutcracker  

Prokofiev

Music from Romeo and Juliet

Liadov

The Music Box

Dvořák

Slavonic Dance No. 2 in E minor

Falla

Final Dance from The Three-Cornered Hat

J. Strauss, Sr.

Radetzky March

Prokofiev

Peter and the Wolf

Trad.

Carol Sing-Along

Please note this is a kid-sized concert with no intermission. Half price for ages 17 and under.

Sat, Dec 10, 2011 1:00pm
Davies Symphony Hall
$15 to $57

Sat, Dec 10, 2011 4:00pm
Davies Symphony Hall
$15 to $57

Sun, Dec 11, 2011 3:00pm
Flint Center (Cupertino, CA)
$15 to $48

For further information or to purchase tickets:  http://www.sfsymphony.org/season/Event.aspx?eventid=50242

This week’s top picks for upcoming live entertainment

"Dancers' photo by Peter Griffin

Mark your calendar and save these dates for the following entertaining and diverse line-up of events in New York City, Amherst, Massachusetts and Santa Monica, California.

New York City

The Just Kidding at Symphony Space all-ages series will continue to provide New York City families with ground-breaking entertainment most Saturdays through April 2012, and on this Saturday, November 12, at 11:00 a.m. Just Kidding provides one of the nation's top "kindie rock" stars, Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights.

Leeds is one of those big, beautiful rock 'n roll sopranos whose voice goes full-out or soft and tender, and she uses both to full effect.

Her tuneful melodies and rich, funny and thoughtful child-respecting lyrics give depth and irresistible zip to songs about sunglasses at the beach, goodnight hugs, popcorn popping and creative blame-shifting.

Check out the video below from Leed’s YouTube channel to see her in action.

Then, on Saturday, November 17 at 11:00 a.m. Just Kidding offers a unique mix of multimedia performance art from the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players  when they present their "indie-vaudeville conceptual art-rock pop band" concert.

 

Originally from Seattle, and now based in Brooklyn, the Trachtenburgs are a domestic trio (dad Jason, mom Tina Piña, and 16-year-old daughter Rachel), who play quirky indie pop songs in the key of "unironic."

It's all good, clean fun with one major catch: All the songs and carefully rhyming lyrics come from the vintage slide collections they've found at estate or garage sales that accompany their performances.

The intrepid trio has appeared on Nick Jr. and the "Conan O'Brien Show," and they've taken their show on the road to Bonnaroo, the Edinburgh festival as well as comedy clubs around the nation - all the while winning over famous fans like Meg White (The White Stripes), Matt Groening ("The Simpsons") and John Waters ("Hairspray").

The Trachtenburgs have just released a new CD called Lost and Found.

and for your enjoyment below, the Players on Nick Jr.'s "Jack’s Big Music Show”.

This diverse line-up is part of the ongoing weekly shows aimed at children ages 3 to 9 and their families. For details about all of the shows, tickets and subscription information, visit Just Kidding online. 

Amherst, Massachusetts

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, 125 West Bay Road, Amherst, Massachusetts, is presenting Picture Book Theatre featuring Eric Carle’s “Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” said the Sloth and Rooster’s Off To See The World, Saturdays, November 12, 19, 26 and Friday, November 25 with 45-minutes performances at 2:00 and 3:00 p.m.. Tickets are $5 and can be reserved in advance by calling the Museum at 413-658-1126.

Directed by founder Therese Brady Donohue, Picture Book Theatre is now in its sixth season and is known for adapting picture books into puppets and dance productions suitable for all ages, especially the very young.

This year’s productions include the premiere of the stick puppet show “Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” said the Sloth, with music composed by Karen A. Tarlow.

The story includes 27 puppets representing endangered rain forest species. Norton Juster voices a recorded introductory message from Eric Carle and Onawumi Jean Moss is the storyteller.

Double cast local puppeteers include Margaret Arsenault, Frances Caparello, Joan Hanson, Naomi Ossar, Diane Westfall, and Karin Wilburn and professionally designed lighting is by Steve Morgan and operated by Dan Fedora of Harrison Digital Productions.

Each family will receive a copy of Carle’s “Slowly, Slowly, Slowly,” said the Sloth during the show (like a libretto) to reread and relive what they have seen.

A grant from the Amherst Cultural Council administered by the Massachusetts Cultural Council has helped to underwrite this new show.

The second show is a revival of Carle’s Rooster’s Off To See The World that showcases young dancers from Amherst Ballet. Sharing the title role are Isabel Wardlaw and Stone Dresser. The dancing role of two cats is shared between Amy Benedetto and Isabela Gomez, and Madeline Poole and Rachel Oram-Brown. Music is again by Karen Tarlow and the recorded narration is by Museum Chief Curator Nick Clark.

All puppets in the show exactly replicate the illustrations in the Carle books.

For further information about these performances and current exhibitions in the Museum’s galleries and many other ongoing events visit the Museum’s website at www.carlemuseum.org.

Santa Monica, California

To celebrate the launch of her newest CD, Everyday Adventures, award-winning singer/songwriter Deborah Poppink (a/k/a affectionately known by her fans as “DidiPop”) is appearing at the legendary McCabe’s Guitar Shop, 3101 Pico Boulevard., at 31st Street, Santa Monica, California on Sunday, November 13 at 11:00 a.m.

The performance includes a 5-piece band (not too loud) costume changes and magic. Plus, there will be Mardi Gras beads for the kids, and a chance for them to do the hula with the magnificent BoBo Bernstein on pedal steel.

 DidiPop will play spoons, piano, guitar, ukulele and even some mock accordion.

Ticket price is $8 (kids under 2 get in free). To purchase tickets online, connect to McCabe’s website at http://www.mccabes.com/condata.html

Below, for your enjoyment, is a sample of DidiPop’s The Cool Alphabet Song, which she’ll be performing at McCabe’s.

Brian Selznick at Symphony Space: Previews his new novel ‘Wonderstruck’

'Wonderstruck' by Brian Selznick

Selznick at Symphony Space

On Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 6:00 p.m., Symphony Space brings Brian Selznick, the Caldecott Award-winning author of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, to the Thalia Kids’ Book Club to give young people an insider's view of his new book, Wonderstruck. The actress Emily Mortimer    (starring in Martin Scorcese's Hugo: The Movie feature film this fall) will read an excerpt from Wonderstuck, and author Matthew Cody  (Powerless and The Dead Gentleman) will lead the interview and discussion with the author.

Selznick’s appearance at Symphony Space is part of its acclaimed series, Thalia Kids' Book Club, an innovative book program for avid readers ages 9 - 12, which includes discussions between children's book authors and their fans.

Symphony Space is located at 2537 Broadway (at 95th), New York, New York.

  
Tickets for this event are $15, or $12 for Book Club members. For additional information or to purchase tickets contact theSymphony Space Box Office at (212) 864-5400 or online at:  http://www.symphonyspace.org/genre/literature

Stellar new season of cultural programs for kids at Symphony Space

Outstanding cultural season for children at Symphony Space

Advance ticket sales have begun for Symphony Space and its jam-packed 2011-12 season of arts and cultural programming for kids of all ages, including the Just Kidding performing arts series for younger children, and the interactive Thalia Kids’ Book Club for 9 to 12 year olds.
 

The Just Kidding program has become a destination for New York area families on Saturday mornings. They will find here not only their kids’ favorites but also upcoming (and outstanding) artists.

The Thalia Kids’ Book Club brings top authors together with preteen kids in meaningful, interactive discussions and activities.

“These programs are designed both to entertain and to introduce kids to a wide variety of artistic expression. After all, they are our audiences of tomorrow,” says Cynthia Elliott, Executive Director of Symphony Space

Symphony Space’s Just Kidding series kicks off in October with a cornucopia of family-friendly performances. Every Saturday from October through May, Symphony Space continues their tradition of offering New York families ground-breaking programming from around the country.

This year, the Upper West Side cultural mecca will host dozens of family-centric performances, including the return of perennial favorites Elizabeth Mitchell, Gustafer Yellowgold and Justin Roberts, as well as a lively, kid-powered dance performance from National Dance Institute: The Celebration Team.

Other standouts of the 2011-12 season include Afro-Cuban rhythms from Women of the Calabash, the retro slide show vaudevillian group The Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players, as well as “kindie rock” stars Joanie Leeds, RecessMonkey and Caspar Babypants (also known as Chris Ballew of the Presidents of the USA).

Symphony Space is located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street in Manhattan, New York City.

Ticket prices range from $11 to $25.

Symphony Space offers “create your own” subscriptions to the 2011-12 Just Kidding series. 

Members of Symphony Space enjoy up to 40 percent in discounts on ticket prices. 

To learn more about this season’s performers, play songs, watch videos and get updates about family programs at Symphony Space, visit http://www.symphonyspace.org/genre/family or call 212.864.5400.

The 2011-12 family season kicks off with the following fall events. Details about each of these Just Kidding performances are available online by following the highlighted link. You may wish to bookmark this page for easy future reference.

Just Kidding Saturday Performances, Fall 2011

October 1, 11 am and 2 pm (Thalia): The Story Pirates -- This zany-smart NYC based troupe creates musical sketch comedy, comprised entirely of stories written by kids. Jon Stewart is a fan of their award-winning shows, which have been described as “Monty Python meets Schoolhouse Rock.”

October 8, 2 pm (Thalia): Women of the Calabash -- Combining traditional instruments, lush vocals, and musical forms with contemporary influences, this musical group has enchanted audiences of all ages for 20 years,performing music from Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Black America.

October 15, 11 am: (Sharp): Galumpha -- Combining stunning acrobatics, striking visual effects, physical comedy, and inventive choreography, Galumpha transforms three human bodies into one floating, flying, and gravity-defying piece of art.

October 22, 11 am: (Thalia): Cat and a Bird -- With catchy beats, a variety of instruments and animal-themed lyrics, Cat and a Bird delivers a fun musical experience for kids with style that older siblings and parents can enjoy. “Out with the Kids” describes their sound as “beautifully strange, Eastern European-gypsy lounge dinner party music.”

October 29, 11 am: (Thalia): Ben Rudnick and Friends – With countless awards to their credit, including five Parent’s Choice awards, this family jam band’s adventurous, high-energy blend of happy, upbeat acoustic music is guaranteed to entertain the entire family. Bending musical styles from country to bluegrass, rock to second-line New Orleans, their original songs and fun takes on familiar tunes make audiences sing, dance, and just be happy.

November 5, 2 pm (Sharp): National Dance Institute: The Celebration Team  – Ballet star Jacques D’Amboise’ legendary children’s dance troupe has transformed the lives of more than 2 million public school children through award-winning arts and learning programs. This year, NDI brings another joyous afternoon of dance to the stage at Symphony Space with more than 50 children, ages 9-15, performing favorite works from their repertory.

November 12, 11 am: (Thalia):  Joanie Leeds & the Nightlights – A favorite star of the NYC “kindie rock” scene, Joanie and her brand bring catchy songs that will have everyone moving and grooving. 

November 19, 11 am: (Thalia): Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players – Known for their quirky, low-fi acoustic songs and unusually engaging slide show performances, this family trio from NYC is sure to create an indie-vaudeville-conceptual-art-rock-slideshow experience like none other in family entertainment. 

December 17, 11 am (Sharp):  Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower –Smithsonian Folkways artist Mitchell's gentle, heartfelt music transfixes audiences of all ages with homespun renditions of great songs by Woody Guthrie, Bob Marley, The Velvet Underground, Vashti Bunyan, Gillian Welch and more. The quiet sweetness and intimacy of her concerts cement her as an icon whose music will be remembered for years to come. Dan Zanes says, “This is the family music that I love---soulful, mysterious, inclusive and rollicking!"

December 31, 11 am. (Thalia): Tim and the Space Cadets – Celebrate a family New Year’s Eve with this dynamic family-friendly pop rock band. Tim’s songs exist somewhere in the realm between Raffi and Blink-182, inspired by memories of school days, snow days, pizza parties, and summer vacations. Their song “Superhero” enjoys frequent spins on Sirius-XM’s Kids Place Live. 

For More Information on the entire 2011-2012 season visit: http://www.symphonyspace.org/genre/family

Membership information: http://www.symphonyspace.org/support

 
Box office: (212) 864-5400  

Musical Notes: Music industry news and releases for children and teens

‘PlayingGuitar’ by Petr Kratochvil

Welcome to “Musical Notes,” this weekly column is dedicated solely to music. Like our Friday “Popcorn Report,” which features the latest information on movies, this post highlights current news and announcements in the music industry, and introduces you to the best of everything in CDs, music videos, games, instruments and upcoming performances for children, teens and families. Be sure to check back each Thursday.

This week’s edition of Musical Notes focuses on a number of upcoming live performances from a diverse lineup of children’s music performers.  We’ll also introduce you to a CD that is making a physical difference in the lives of children, and take a look at a unique musical instrument, plus share something free and fun from the popular award-winning children’s entertainer Aaron Nigel Smith.

LIVE PERFORMANCES

Saturday, March 26, 2011 10:30 a.m.

DVD Release Concert -Debbie and Friends with special guest star Bob McGrath of "Sesame Street" fame!

Performing at the Regent Theatre, 7 Medford Street, Arlington, Massachusetts.

Bob Mc Grath

Show Details from Regent Theatre: “Join Debbie Cavalier and her band for “Story Songs and Sing Alongs” and get ready for sing-along, dance-along and laugh-along family fun in this rockin’ musical journey through classic kids’ tales and original songs as this Boston based kindie pop band celebrate the release of their first DVD. 

The celebration will include interactive songs and stories, plus giveaways and special prices on the new DVD. Debbie and Friends popular cartoons will be rolling on the Regent’s big screen and as a special treat, Bob McGrath, of “Sesame Street” fame, will guest star in the show.

This full-band performance will include both Debbie and Friends songs and some classic favorites, with a cast of top-shelf musicians from Berklee College of Music, including Debbie Cavalier on vocals and keyboard, Rory McKenzie on bass, Eric Salt on guitar, Bill D’Agostino on drums, Mike Carrera on vocals… and surprise guest performers! Debbie and Friends will also perform with some of their own animated music videos—a real favorite with audiences of all ages! And, everyone goes home with a colorful Debbie and Friends tattoos!”

Debbie and Friends

For lots more information about Debbie and Friends: Story Songs and Sing Alongs along with excerpts from the newly released DVD, please follow this link to last week’s edition of 'Musical Notes'.

Ticket Prices (general admission):
$8.00 – Kids (12 and under)
$8.00 – Seniors
$10.00 – Adults

Regent Theatre members save $2.

Tickets may be ordered online through this link, or by calling Phone: {781} 646-4849
Fax: {781} 643-4747 NOTE: phone/online orders include additional $1 service charge

Saturday, March 26, 2011 – 11:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m.

Climb Aboard the “Jungle Gym” with Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players

Performing at Symphony Space, Peter Jay Sharp Theater, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, New York City.

Show Details from Symphony Space Just Kidding series: “Hailed by The New York Times as "a rising star in the world of children's music," and The Chicago Tribune as "among the kid-rock royalty," Justin Roberts' vocal style has been compared to James Taylor, Elvis Costello, Loudon Wainwright III , and even Green Day! With clever, funny songs dealing with important issues a young child might face (the horrors of school picture day, making friends with the monster under the bed) Roberts' lyrics are rich with sharp, comedic insight that make his shows a Symphony Space favorite year after year.
"Comic and soulful songs with creative, unique twists and turns that parents will enjoy as much as children." -LA Times.”

Ticket Prices
$13.00 to $27.00 and are available to purchase online at this link or by calling the box office at (212) 864-5400.

For your viewing enjoyment, below is a video of “Willy Was a Whale,” which is one of the musical selections being performed on Saturday at Symphony Space.

Saturday, March 26, 2011 – Doors open at 11:00 am performance at 11:30 a.m.

Peanut Butter and Jams Series welcomes Moona Luna a Family Concert

Performing at World Café Live, 3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104

Show Details from the Peanut Butter and Jams series: “Moona Luna is the new musical project from the Latin-Alternative group Pistolera. Inspired by the birth of her first child during the making of the last album, lead singer and songwriter Sandra Velasquez now brings family-friendly songs in Spanish and English that continue the band’s tradition of positive messages and accordion driven toe-tapping beats."

Ticket Prices
Adults $10, Children $7 Ages 1-12, Free for children under the age of one – ($2 off each adult ticket when you purchase with CASH at our box office BEFORE day of show.). Plus a kid-friendly lunch buffet is available for purchase before and during every Peanut Butter and Jams show. Kids pay $7 and adults pay $10, all you can eat.

Advance tickets are available online by following this link.

Moona Luna will also be performing on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. at Jammin’ Java, 227 Maple Avenue East, Vienna, Virginia 22180 (703) 255-1566 All tickets are $8 for everyone one year and older. For further information and tickets please follow this link.

For your viewing enjoyment, below is a video of “Todas Las Comidas (All The Foods)” from Moona Luna’s newly released album Piñata Party.

 

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Have you ever heard of a Hapi Drum? It’s a “hand activated percussion instrument” with a “unique tone” that is “created by a tuned vibrating steel tongue.”

The Hapi is played by lightly striking the instrument with fingers or a mallet. The video below gives a fine demonstration of this easy to play instrument. This particular model is tuned to e minor.

For more information on the Hapi and to test drive the instrument, which is available in numerous keys, visit http://www.hapitones.com/

Prices for the instrument range from $345.00 to $675.00 depending on the size and musical range of the instrument.

CD

Singer/songwriter Amy Otey, might easily be dubbed the ‘First Lady of Musical Fitness,’ with her newest CD release, Fitness Rock and Roll.

She has performed at such varied venues as the Kimmel Center to the White House for the Easter Egg Roll.

Otey, who is an official advocate of the President’s Challenge Program, has dedicated this fifth album release to helping children become fit by embracing a healthier active lifestyle. Her award-winning body of musical work and her background as a physical fitness educator has placed her in a unique position to get kids engaged and moving with music.

Fitness Rock and Role is a fun energizing mix of tunes that beckons youngsters to get up off the couch to dance and move along while getting in shape.

All of Amy Otey’s CD’s are available through CD Baby, where you can sound sample the 12 song tracks from Fitness Rock and Roll as well as all of her other albums.

Fitness Rock and Roll is available in CD format for $13.99 and MP3 download for $0.99 per track, or $10.00 for the entire MP3 album.

Be sure to check out Otey’s free downloadable lesson plans that accompany this and her other CDs.

FUN STUFF

Here’s something absolutely delightful from that kid-friendly and charismatic award-winning children's musical artist, Aaron Nigel Smith, who is the featured musical guest on Between the lions.

Smith works tirelessly with the NEA Read Across America program to promote literacy through music.  Recently, he went into the studio to record a brand new song and music video called "In A Book," featuring his furry friend and co-star, Lionel the lion from the Emmy® Award Winning PBS Kids' program Between The Lions. Please enjoy and share the video featured below with your child, along with the FREE down-loadable MP3 featuring Aaron's son, Zion.

Smith, whose program, FUNdamentals of Music and Movement, serves thousands of children in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City and Boston, and over 3,000 schools, centers and daycares in his network; this program is vitally needed by the today’s young people. 

"In A Book," features Aaron's signature "islandy vibe" (as described by People Magazine) and his engaging teaching style is also available in his award-winning, entertaining CDs. Be sure to check these musical hits out at Music for Little People.