When Monique Mead comes on stage with her husband, Andrés Cárdenes, and their daughter Isabel-Annik, it becomes clear that this concert is a family affair. It is in fact a concert for families about families such as the Bachs, Mozarts and Strausses.

Taking on a threefold-role of conductor, violinist and violist, Andres Cardenes, (concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony) leads the orchestra in this exciting program of family masterworks. Monique Mead tells the children about life at the Bach home. As the father of 20 children it was a real challenge for Johann Sebastian to find the time to teach his students, compose 1200 works, conduct orchestra rehearsals, practice the organ, and care for the musical education of his many children. Fortunately, he received some help from his four oldest sons, all very talented musicians themselves. They helped transcribe their father’s scores and write out instrumental parts. With all this “helping”, they also learned tremendously from their father’s example, thus helping them to establish a firm base from which to develop their own musical styles, and become even more famous than their father, as was the case with C.P.E. Bach in his day.

The Wunderkind, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, also managed to outshine his father at an early age. On this program we hear some of his childhood works, sing one of his rather rude and ridiculous songs, and explore some of his more serious works. Also on the program are some humorous works by Papa Mozart, Leopold. The children will be amazed at the sound and the sight of the alphorn, for which Leopold wrote a symphony. Children who brought musical toys along will be able to join in with Isabel-Annik Cardenes, as they play rattles, drums, or even rubber ducks in the “Toy Symphony”.
It is a fun and interesting program for the entire family!

Repertoire Bach Family

Repertoire Familien Mozart und Strauss

For additional information and repertoire for chamber music settings, please contact us at info@klassik-for-kids.de.