SB County Schoolchildren to “Meet” Beethoven

On Thursday, February 9 and Friday, February 10 at 11:30 a.m. at The Granada Theatre, the Santa Barbara Symphony will present Beethoven Lives Upstairs, part of its Concerts for Young People series.

“We are grateful to our community for supporting the Symphony’s highly engaging educational programs,” said David Grossman, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Symphony. “Each year, thousands of local students and families are making lifelong personal connections with the arts through these hands-on opportunities to create and appreciate classical music.”

The live performance of Beethoven Lives Upstairs features a lively exchange of letters between young Christoph and his uncle. Their subject is the “madman” who has moved into the upstairs apartment of Christoph’s Vienna home. The funereal second movement of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony sets the scene as viewers travel back in time from March 26, 1827, the day of Beethoven’s death, into the more intimate setting of young Christoph’s house in Vienna a few years before. Audiences will be captivated by more than 25 excerpts of Beethoven’s music, including the Moonlight Sonata, Für Elise and the Fifth and Ninth Symphonies. The music is magically woven into the drama as the two actors share their anecdotes and observations based on true incidents from the composer’s life. After attending the famous first performance of the Ninth Symphony, Christoph comes to understand the genius of Beethoven, the torment of his deafness and the beauty of his music.

Nearly 2,500 Santa Barbara County schoolchildren will attend these exciting events for FREE as part of Santa Barbara Symphony’s 2012 series, Concerts for Young People.

In addition to the performance, student winners of an essay contest asking the question “If you could meet Beethoven, what would you talk to him about and why?” will be recognized at each performance and the grand prize winner will have the exciting opportunity to conduct the Santa Barbara Symphony orchestra performing Johann Strauss’ Radetzky March.

For over 50 years, the Santa Barbara Symphony has been introducing fourth, fifth, and sixth graders to the wonders of the orchestra through Concerts for Young People. This program is child-friendly and allows for interaction between students and the Symphony’s Maestro, Nir Kabaretti. Concerts for Young People are free to both students and teachers by advance arrangement.

About The Santa Barbara Symphony

Celebrating nearly 60 years of great music, the Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra Association was founded on the belief that a special city deserves a special orchestra. The Symphony has been celebrated for its unique ability to deliver brilliant orchestral concerts while maintaining a strong commitment to education and community engagement. With audiences almost twice the size of any orchestra in the Santa Barbara area, the Santa Barbara Symphony is, according to Mayor Helene Schneider, “A jewel in Santa Barbara’s crown”. For more information, please go to www.thesymphony.org.