What will we see at Once Upon a Symphony?
Once Upon a Symphony combines music and storytelling to introduce young children to the amazing world of classical music. This Once Upon a Symphony performance will explore the story of “The Three Little Pigs” through an original production featuring music performed by members of the “World’s Best, Chicago’s Own” Chicago Symphony Orchestra with actor Shawn Pfautsch and sets, costumes and projections designed by the Chicago Children’s Theatre. This performance features musicians playing flute, viola, cello and tuba.
What should we do before we visit Symphony Center?
There are several things that you can do to prepare for this experience, making your visit to Symphony Center more enjoyable and memorable:
Introduce your child to the story of The Three Little Pigs. We suggest any of these beautifully illustrated versions, which can be found at your local library or bookseller or online at Amazon.com:
- The Three Little Pigs by James Marshall
- The Three Little Pigs by David Wiesner
- The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
- La Verdadara Historiade los Tres Cerditos by Jon Scieszka
Please note that the Once Upon a Symphony adaptation of this story differs slightly from other versions. The focus of our story suggests that combining courage, hard work and individual talents, leads to success. Please draw attention to the following characteristics of the story:
- The Three Little Pigs each work at different speeds to make their houses.
- By finding the courage to work together, each at their own speed, the pigs successfully build the house of bricks, which the Big Bad Wolf cannot destroy.
Introduce your child to the music they will hear on this program by purchasing recordings or downloading a playlist of the concert repertoire through Spotify. Listen to this music in the days prior to your visit to Symphony Center, and explore how the music portrays the activities or images suggested, which are central parts of the Once Upon a Symphony performance:
- Till Eulenspiegel by Richard Strauss: This music illustrates the personalities of the three little pigs.
- The Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: This music demonstrates how fast, medium and slow the pigs work to build their houses.
- Lullaby by Johannes Brahms: This music is sung by the papa pig as his children travel off into the world. Encourage your child to sing the lyrics with the melody.
Piggies three, piggies three,
Have you listened well to me?
Can you hear me from afar
Wherever you are?
Take your time, do things right,
And you’ll sleep safe tonight.
Take your time, do things right,
And you’ll sleep safe tonight.
- Siegfried – Fafner excerpt by Richard Wagner: This music portrays the Big Bad Wolf blowing down the houses.
- Symphonic Dances by Edvard Grieg: This music celebrates the collaboration and courage it took for the three little pigs to build a strong house made of bricks.
What will we experience at Symphony Center?
- “The Three Little Pigs” will be performed in Buntrock Hall at 10:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. There are no assigned seats, so you may sit wherever you are comfortable.
- The performance will include moments where you will be encouraged to sing, dance and move along with the artists. It is very important that you participate alongside your child; your child will respond most energetically if he or she sees you having fun, too. Please note that no child will be forced to participate in any way that would make him or her feel uncomfortable.
- If your child becomes upset or uncomfortable during the performance, you are free to leave Buntrock Hall and re-enter later. Remember, if your child starts to cry, it is a way of saying, “I need a break.” It’s OK — stay calm.
- CSO ushers and volunteers will be on hand to help ensure that you and your child have a safe and enjoyable experience.
Sing along with us as we prepare for a magical journey to hear the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center. Let's go!