Being a St. Louis transplant, I am consistently amazed at the cultural and artistic resources we have in the region considering the size of this city. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is one of those incredible gems. Their Friday evening performance with the contemporary dance company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, was an enthralling experience overall and offered audiences the rare chance to enjoy contemporary dance with live music, something most dance companies cannot afford without co-producers. The connectivity between the orchestra and the dancers (even on a limited rehearsal schedule) was clear and confident.

The performance begins with Mozart’s lively Le nozze di Figaro Overture, a comforting and familiar piece that the symphony played with great enthusiasm. The orchestra did a wonderful job of presenting those naked, glorious, and untainted Mozart lines where there is absolutely no wiggle room for intonation or ensemble issues.

The Hubbard Street Dance Chicago dancers joined the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for Arcangelo with music by Corelli and Scarlatti. Concertmaster David Halen’s exquisite playing really sang in this work. The choreography by Nacho Duato and the dancers visually brought to life all of the luscious stretching, pushing, pulling, and quick changes between staccato and legato that are written in the score. Countertenor, David Stephens, gave a historically accurate performance, filled with the clean, round sounds, which we heard in the Mozart.

The Brandenburg Concerto left us breathless. I had to restrain myself from dancing in the aisle. After seeing the dancers in the Corelli and Scarlatti pieces, it was a nice opportunity to listen to the orchestra alone playing this famous Baroque work. The symphony’s attacks, dynamics, and textures took on a new feel in the Brandenburg after seeing them visually embodied by the dancers earlier.

The Anna Clyne piece was my favorite. Organic, rather unearthly music is joined by choreography that is subtle, filled with breath, challenging, and unique yet somehow familiar. The shadowed lighting design, white costumes, and poignant playing by the orchestra was memorable. I was amazed by the dancers’ gorgeous use of their feet–their roll down and languid slow walks across the stage were stunning.

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Music Director and Conductor David Robertson, smartly gives us a little humor and playfulness and of course connections to the Baroque music we heard earlier in the concert, by programming Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks concerto. We get to hear the symphony’s stellar woodwind and brass sections in this piece and solid piano playing by Peter Henderson.

The most exhausting and full of more obvious dance “tricks” were found in the visually arresting, “As few as 3000,” with choreography by Alejandro Cerrudo and music by Martinu. There are some moving moments between two dancers undulating their torsos and heads to meet foreheads in this work, bringing us full circle to the curvatures we heard and experienced from the music and choreography in the first half of the program.

In general, it is rather challenging to program a concert featuring contemporary dance and a relatively traditional symphony orchestra in a large hall because typically the audiences of each do not crossover significantly. The cost of the concert tickets will most likely limit the usual contemporary dance audiences from being able to attend this performance, but I think that the event evolved into a fruitful collaboration that may excite current classical music patrons into exploring the realm of contemporary dance a little more.

There is one final performance Sunday, February 19 at 3 pm.

There are some great events coming up at COCA (Center of Creative Arts) and CAM (Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis)

COCA’s Visual Arts Open Studio  |  Sunday, February 5, 1 to 3 pm  |  $8
In partnership with Artmart, COCA’s Visual Arts Open Studio participants may work on their own or with the guidance of a visual arts instructor on projects including collage, book making, watercolor painting, paper mache, and more.

CAM Stroller Tour  |  Tuesday, February 7, 9 to 10 am  |  FREE
Best for infants to 24 month old children, CAM’s Stroller Tours offer a complimentary light breakfast and an informal tour exploring the current exhibitions.

CAM Tuesday Morning Play Date  |  Tuesday, February 7, 10 to 11 am  |  FREE
Best for ages 2 to 5 years old, these engaging play dates include refreshments, an art project, story time, and movement activities.

CAM Valentine’s Family Day  |  Saturday, February 11, 1 to 4 pm  |  FREE
This event is open to all ages, but the art projects are best for 5 to 12 year olds (younger if your child isn’t easily frustrated or has amazing fine motor skills!). Enjoy the museum’s exhibitions and family activities ranging from artist-led workshops to face painting, storytelling, and more. All visitors wearing red will be entered in a drawing to win a special prize.

Read more about CAM’s family activities in my St. Louis Sprout & About article.

Baby Got Bach is back for another entertaining and free performance in St. Louis on February 18, 2012 at 10:30 am, Centene Plaza, 7700 Forsyth Road. Baby Got Bach is an engaging classical music interactive event for 3 to 6 year olds founded by internationally known pianist Orli Shaham. During the nearly two hour program, kids can explore real instruments, meet musicians from the St. Louis Symphony, sing familiar songs, play rhythm sticks and castanets, and hear a chamber music concert featuring works by Saint-Saens, Rimsky-Korsakov, Schubert, Bartok, and more.

Tickets

The community performance is free of charge thanks to the generosity of The Centene Charitable Foundation. Currently, the organization is accepting reservations from people who signed up for their mailing list last Fall. Online reservations will be open to the general public starting on February 6, 2012. All the spots for the November 2011 performance were filled within two days last Fall, so be sure to make advance reservations on the Baby Got Bach web site. There is a limit of approximately 80 children for the event and there will be a wait list available. Walk-ins without reservations may be admitted, space permitting.

Tips

* Parking is available for $2 per hour at the Centene Plaza garage. Street parking is free on Saturdays.
* The St. Louis Symphony, The Centene Charitable Foundation, and many individuals donate their time and funds to the nonprofit, Baby Got Bach. If you are able, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Baby Got Bach.
* The program may be a bit long for some 3 and 4 year olds, but the format is casual, so feel free to take your child out to the lobby for a break or snack if she/he needs it.
* There will be short intermission before the chamber music concert portion of the event.
* Make a morning/day of your outing and eat at the nearby, delicious, and family friendly restaurant, Half and Half. Be sure to try the veggie hash and fresh donuts! Half and Half is open 8 am to 2 pm on Saturdays.
* Questions? Contact Baby Got Bach through their web site.

About Orli Shaham, Artistic Director, Host, and Pianist

Orli Shaham got an early start in her music career. She began playing piano at age four, and got her first music scholarship when she was five. Just a couple years later, she began her studies at The Juilliard School with Herbert Stessin. That was the beginning of a flood of prestigious performances and awards, launching her international career. Ms. Shaham has performed with many of the world’s great orchestras and has been lauded for her recitals at Carnegie Hall, the 92nd Street Y, and Lincoln Center, as well as many other renowned concert halls around the globe. Ms. Shaham has preschool twins Nathan and Alex and college-age stepsons Peter and Jonathan. She lives in St. Louis and New York with her husband, St. Louis Symphony music director David Robertson.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7leQJIE8Lg8

Currently in its 23rd year, Opera Theatre of St. Louis’s Monsanto Artists-in-Training Program has consistently identified, coached, and encouraged talented singers in St. Louis urban and suburban high schools. Students receive individual weekly coaching and voice lessons by Opera Theatre of St. Louis’s professional staff; two artist residencies conducted by visiting guest artists; numerous chances to attend performing arts events; and a three-day college retreat where they learn about college life and academics. Each spring, the students perform in a free public recital at the Sheldon Concert Hall. To date, more than 170 students have completed the program and Opera Theatre of St. Louis has awarded these graduates more than $335,000 in scholarships to support their college educations. Many graduates have continued to pursue academic degrees and professional careers in music. Artists-in-Training is generously supported by the Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, who has been the principal underwriter since the program’s inception.

Agricultural giant Monsanto is an amazing supporter of nonprofits throughout the world and especially here in St. Louis where the company is based. As part of Monsanto’s public relations campaign, “Grow St. Louis,” the company created a contest to challenge local nonprofits to improve our region. The three winning organizations who receive the most votes from the general public will receive grants of $15,000, $10,000, or $5,000. There is a long list of worthy projects, but here are a few arts related recommendations.

CAM (Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis)
St. Louis Symphony
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Arts and Education Council
Circus Harmony

Voting ends January 29 and you can vote once each day. The first time you vote, you will be asked to validate your email address. This validation request is emailed to you and may end up in your junk folder, so be sure to check or your vote won’t count.

Vote for your favorite project here and help support the arts in St. Louis.

The performance features baritone Ian Greenlaw, several artists from the prestigious Opera Theatre of St. Louis Young Artists program, and local singers. The opera is presented in English with projected titles. Tickets start at an incredibly reasonable $7 each and are available online or by calling 314.534.1700.

Additional tips:

* There is no intermission so be sure to make a restroom stop before the show.
* Kids hungry before the performance? Family friendly treats such as candy, Billy Goat potato chips, cookies, beverages, and more are available for sale in the lobby.
* Current best seating availability is in the rear top balcony section and the rear main level areas. You may want to bring binoculars for your children if you sit in these areas so that they can see more costume or facial details of the performers. In terms of sound, I would recommend the balcony seating area over the rear main floor area.
* Metered street parking is free on Sundays, so if you want to secure one of these spots, try to arrive a little early to the performance. Otherwise, there are paid parking lots adjacent to Powell Hall.
* At various stations throughout the lobby areas prior to the performance, kids can try out a flute, a violin, and other instruments. Any instruments with mouth pieces are cleaned of course before each use!
* The Arizona Opera produced a nice study guide about The Magic Flute geared towards school age children and adults who are new to the opera.
* Visit the blog “Playing by the Book” for wonderful children’s books about The Magic Flute.

A taste of the music from the Metropolitan Opera’s famous 2006 Julie Taymor production:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhIdTirLolM

Squirmy, chatty, energetic, and dancing kids are welcome to a Merry Tuba Christmas concert on Saturday, December 10 from 2 to 3 pm in Macy’s Court at the St. Louis Galleria.

This signature event of the St. Louis Galleria has been presented for the last ten years and is a great way to celebrate the Christmas season. The concert will feature professional and amateur artists, ranging in age from 8 to 84 years old.

The St. Louis holiday tuba concert is part of a worldwide celebration of the tuba coordinated by the “Tuba Christmas” organization (who is part of the nonprofit Harvey Phillips Foundation). Tuba Christmas was conceived in 1974 as a tribute to the late artist/teacher William J. Bell, born on Christmas Day, 1902. The first Tuba Christmas concert was conducted by the late Paul Lavalle in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza Ice Rink on Sunday, December 22, 1974.

More information about other Tuba Christmas events throughout the world and how to participate.

Sponsored by the Centene Corporation, Baby Got Bach in St. Louis is an interactive concert series for kids age 3 to 6. Experience this free, entertaining program praised by the Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, and hundreds of parents, on Saturday, November 26 at 10:30 am, Centene Plaza, 7700 Forsyth Boulevard. Orli Shaham, a local musician, internationally known pianist, and busy Mom of twins is the founder and artistic director of Baby Got Bach. She will be joined by a quintet of wind players from the St. Louis Symphony.

Although free tickets for this event have already all been distributed as of Sunday, November 20, you may add your name to the Baby Got Bach mailing list to receive information about other upcoming St. Louis concerts on February 18 and April 21, 2012 at 11 am (note the April date is tentative), also at Centene Plaza in Clayton. If your kids are flexible, you can still go to the Saturday, November 26 event without a confirmed reservation and possibly be admitted as space becomes available. I’m sure that not all the people who have confirmed reservations will actually show up (the initial maximum capacity on the event was approximately 200 people). Such is the nature of last minute life with kids, holidays, and of course when tickets are free.

Parking is available for $2 per hour at the Centene Plaza garage. Street parking is another option and is free on Saturdays.

About the event
The first 30 minutes of Baby Got Bach gives kids an opportunity to visit four musical activity stations where they can meet musicians, play with instruments, conduct, and explore music concepts. This portion is followed by a ten minute “jam session” in which the musicians perform songs like “Twinkle, Twinkle” and “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” while audience members have a percussion instrument to play. Musical terms such as forte and piano will be taught (if your child watches the Disney Jr. show, “Little Einstein’s,” or is a Kindermusik student, she/he will be in the know!). Baby Got Bach concludes with the main stage concert program featuring the following brief pieces:

Bach: Invention in C Major
Berio: Opus Number Zoo (first movement)
Beethoven: Variations on “La ci darem” (selections)
Schumann: Fantasy Pieces (no. 3) for clarinet and piano
Mozart: Quintet for piano and winds (third movement)
Ligeti: Bagatelles No. 1 & 3 for wind quintet and piano
Rimsky-Korsakov: Flight of the Bumblebee (transcription for wind quintet and piano)

Baby Got Bach brings much joy, fun, and a quality musical experience for the preschool set and their caregivers. If you are able, feel free to make a tax-deductible donation of any amount to this worthwhile nonprofit organization.

About Orli Shaham, Artistic Director, Host, and Pianist
Orli Shaham got an early start in her music career. She began playing piano at age four, and got her first music scholarship when she was five. Just a couple years later, she began her studies at The Juilliard School with Herbert Stessin. That was the beginning of a flood of prestigious performances and awards, launching her international career. Ms. Shaham has performed with many of the world’s great orchestras and has been lauded for her recitals at Carnegie Hall, the 92nd Street Y, and Lincoln Center, as well as many other renowned concert halls around the globe. Ms. Shaham has preschool twins Nathan and Alex and college-age stepsons Peter and Jonathan. She lives in St. Louis and New York with her husband, St. Louis Symphony conductor David Robertson.

On Friday, November 18 at 10:30 am, the Dallas Children’s Theater performs Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. When a great African king desires a wife, only the most perfect maidens in the land are invited to meet him. Combining authentic African drumming, powerful and majestic choreography, and thrilling original music, the splendor of Zimbabwe will burst onto stage in this Caldecott Award winning Cinderella tale. Tickets are $8 per person. The show lasts approximately one hour.

On Friday, December 9 at 10:30 am, COCA’s Ballet Eclectica presents The Little Dancer: Exploring the Color Palette, a story ballet filled with dazzling costumes, a wide range of choreographic styles, and projections of artwork from the St. Louis Art Museum. The Little Dancer is a heartwarming tale of the girl depicted in artist Degas’s statuette who comes to life and dances through beautiful works of art. The production is directed by Amy Scheers with guest choreographers. Tickets are $8 per person. The show lasts approximately one hour.

Call Box Office Specialist Shelley Salinas at 314.725.6555, ext. 124 to reserve your tickets or visit COCA’s front desk (524 Trinity Avenue) in person for this special offer.

While you’re at COCA, check out their classes, workshops, and camps for the whole family. We are lucky to have such a incredible arts facility in St. Louis!