Saturday, children ages 3 through 12 gave a performance for the school readiness fair at the Berkshire Mall. There were hundreds of incidental spectators passing by, most of them parents there to see the fair and go to the carnival set up outside! However, Kids 4 Harmony held the stage for half an hour, along with our preschool choir, the Sunshine Singers.
Well over 50 young musicians turned out to sing and play for the huge crowd gathered, which included families, friends and workers at the surrounding stores, which practically stopped to see the concert.
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| Sunshine Singers performing - look at that crowd! |
When the preschoolers were done, they turned around and got to see Tari Wheeler Roosa leading the Kindergarteners, playing their violins! It was exciting for the pre-k group to see their own teacher leading the older group. The Beginning Ensemble played with confidence, and even had some help from the rest of the children.
A different kind of magic happens when the older children play, and this was no exception. After seeing performances by tiny children, just beginning their musical journey, the experience of hearing the Intermediate and Advanced ensembles was breathtaking. As the music became more and more skillful, smiles and adoring faces changed to expressions of surprise and disbelief.
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| Simon Brown leading the Intermediate Ensemble |
What the audience did not know was that there were two performers in the Intermediate Ensemble who had been playing less than a week! When they asked, on Friday, if they could be in the concert, the answer was "
of course!" You can see both of them in the picture below, but I bet you can't guess who they are:
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| The beginning of a Berkshire County Youth Orchestra |
You'll have to be surprised; we'll spotlight them in a few days. They were as swept away by the energy of the group as much as anyone.
After the performance, families of the 30 or so preschool performers were inspired. Many of them found the Berkshire Children and Families' booth; others went to the preschool teachers. The question was, unanimously: "How do we sign up?"
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| Children at the Berkshire Children and Families booth |
It was a wonderful day to be at the mall. Young people got to try out new instruments, Kids 4 Harmony players and teachers provided incidental music, and everyone had a great time!
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| Simon Brown showing preschooler Addison around on the cello |
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| Children got to craft their own suns at the Berkshire Children and Families booth! |
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| A young girl tries out the guitar while second grader Natalie Mendez plays her flute |
