On Saturday, Oct. 26, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra begins their 2024-25 Family Series. 

There will be four concert in the series, the last of which is March 22. 

Featuring the 44 full-time professional musicians of the orchestra, with guests, these short Saturday morning shows are certainly fun for the whole family, highlighting music that’s often quite different from the Masterworks series and more “classical” fare and prefaced by hands-on activities for the kids.

Troy Webdell is the youth education and family concert conductor of the Philharmonic, and this is his third year at the helm of the Family Series. 

He filled me in on what to expect.

First, a hearty congratulations to him and his wife, the Philharmonic’s concertmaster Violetta Todorova, on the birth of their first child, William, in June. Can’t get more “family” than that.

In previous years, adults who attended the Family Series had to buy tickets, but this season, and the next two, will be free to the public thanks to a gift of an anonymous donor.

Each performance is sensory-friendly, with support given to those with sensory sensitivities and diverse abilities. On stage, there’s a sign-language interpreter, and the musical pieces feature narrators to move the story along. 

Webdell has programmed music that includes short classical masterworks alongside younger, fresh music that may surprise you.

All concerts in this series are on a Saturday morning at the Auer Performance Hall at Purdue University Fort Wayne. 

The concerts start at 11 a.m., but you should bring your family one hour earlier, because there will be lots of activities for the kids in the lobbies. Kids will be able to pick up and try out orchestral instruments for the first time, and there will be hands-on art-making, led by various groups from the community.

“This year’s Family Series is based on imagination,” Webdell said. “And what can you imagine based on these themes?” 

Each of the Family Series events are based around a book, “children’s books that are promoting literacy and music as well.”

Fables & Fairytales

Saturday, Oct. 26

Based on the story of Peter Pan, from the 1911 novel Peter and Wendy by J. M. Barrie, the concert features the orchestra with the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir, Fort Wayne Ballet, and narration by Christopher J. Murphy. 

Webdell will lead them in a waltz from Tchaikovsky’s ballet Sleeping Beauty (1890) and the fairy-tale tone poem Kikimora by another Russian composer of that era, Anatoly Lyadov. 

Then it’s on to “Peter Pan”: James Newton Howard’s suite from the 2003 film Peter Pan, and a piece by John Williams from Steven Spielberg’s 1991 film Hook.

Parents, help your kids get some costumes. 

“We always try to do a Halloween thing, so people can dress up for it,” Webdell said.

We Are One

Saturday, Jan. 25

Dr. Seuss’ 1961 story The Sneetches provides the theme for this show. 

The orchestra will again be joined by the Fort Wayne Children’s Choir and Fort Wayne Ballet, with Ian Williams as narrator. 

Webdell makes a connection to Martin Luther King Day, Jan. 20, as The Sneetches is about supporting civil rights and diversity.

The orchestra will feature music from living Black composers: Adolphus Hailstork’s Fanfare on “Amazing Grace” and Allison Loggins-Hull’s Can You See?, on a theme from “The Star-Spangled Banner.” 

An orchestral arrangement of Scott Joplin’s beloved “Maple Leaf Rag” (1899) is included. Webdell considers Joplin’s work as a milestone in the beginnings of both jazz and American classical music.

The highlight is The Sneetches, a suite by Spanish composer Lorenzo Palomo, who died in April.

Across the Stars

Saturday, Feb. 22

The orchestra will open with “Across the Stars,” a Williams theme from 2002’s Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Then, in what I can only call a daring move, Webdell will lead the orchestra accompanying a 30-minute science-fiction space-travel adventure film from 2010. It’s called Icarus at the Edge of Time, based on the children’s book by Brian Greene. The soundtrack is by the influential and prolific living composer Philip Glass, who pioneered the rhythmic, trance-like style called minimalism. Kevin Torwelle will provide the dramatic narration. The concert will be in collaboration with Science Central, bringing family activities.

Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

Saturday, March 22

A Child’s Introduction to the Orchestra is a book from 1954 by Robert Levine, which highlights each of the instruments and sections. 

The orchestra will perform Benjamin Britten’s well-loved The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, from 1945, which is in turn based on music by Henry Purcell from 300 years before that.

Next is something “traditional, but yet with a twist,” Webdell said. “We’re going to do some music from (the 1964 film) Zorba the Greek.”

The suite is from one of Webdell’s favorite composers, Mikis Theodorakis, who died in 2021; this will mark the 100th anniversary of his birth. Webdell is looking to bring in a renowned Greek bouzouki soloist to lead the frantic, energetic suite. 

No word yet on dancing, but there certainly ought to be. Parents, maybe your kids can provide their own.

Be sure to go to fwphil.org in advance to register and reserve your free tickets.