Music from Salem children’s workshops are designed around the upcoming weekend concert program of great classical chamber music we are preparing. One piece is about Icarus, who flew too close to the sun. We will discuss that age old story with the children and demonstrate how it is depicted in music. We’ll demonstrate all the instruments; violins, violas, cello, and clarinet, their age, materials, capacities for different sounds, etc. We pick out the inventive and contagious rhythms in Dvorak’s viola quintet, including clapping and speaking and singing participation, sometimes even dancing, or musical chairs.

The workshop is both fun and thought-provoking. This is a rare opportunity to experience world class performers, and live classical string playing informally and up close.