Classical music is some of the most beautiful music ever made, and teaching our children to appreciate classical music is a gift for a lifetime. The San Antonio Symphony’s annual family concert, the Halloween Spooktacular, is a great way to introduce youngsters to classical music in a fun, relaxed environment. I’ve been taking my kids to these concerts for years, and the next concert is coming up soon: Sunday, October 28, 2018 at 3:00 p.m at Trinity University Laurie Auditorium. Tickets are affordable—only $12 for adults and $6 for children under 12—and you can reserve yours online now.
The San Antonio Symphony has recently found new stability while continuing to perform at a high artistic standard. The theme this year, Masquerade, has inspired a program of music about masks, including selections from the Star Wars film score and the musical Phantom of the Opera. Noam Aviel will be conducting. The target audience for the concert is children ages four to eleven, but guests of all ages can enjoy the music.
For the Halloween concert, the musicians let their hair down a bit, wearing festive outfits and costumes on stage. Guests are encouraged to dress in costume, too. In the past, there has been a children’s Halloween costume contest, with winners invited to come on stage to claim their prizes.
This year, the Halloween Spooktacular will be at Trinity University‘s Laurie Auditorium (map). The concert itself will start at 3:00 p.m. and last for about an hour. It’s worth coming early for the pre-concert activities, which will begin at 2:00 p.m. Fortunately, Laurie Auditorium has a long hallway that wraps around the building with room for tables offering Halloween-theme crafts, like the origami bat pictured below.
The instrument petting zoo is a popular activity. Musicians bring their violins, cellos, harps, keyboards, and more for young visitors to try.
The petting zoo is a non-intimidating way for children to get their hands on a musical instrument and use it to make sounds. It’s a judgment-free zone—any sound is a good sound when you are just starting out.
Last year, dancers from Ballet San Antonio got the children moving. The pre-concert activities are a great way to get the wiggles out so that children are more willing to sit and listen to music in the auditorium for a while.
Families can also interact with businesses such as Musical Arts Center of San Antonio and find out about lessons so our children can learn to play classical music and gain a deeper appreciation for it.
In addition to the Halloween Spooktacular family concert, the San Antonio Symphony is doing more than ever to reach out to new audiences. They now offer a student pass for $30 per year that gives members the privilege to reserve advance tickets to some classics and pops concerts. Also new this year, the Symphony’s Concert(210) series includes nine free or low-cost concerts out in the community. These concerts will bring the beautiful sound of classical music to more ears in the San Antonio region. An ongoing tradition is Symphony at SAPL, a series of mini-performances at San Antonio Public Library branches.
The San Antonio Symphony Halloween Spooktacular—Masquerade! will be at Laurie Auditorium at Trinity University on Sunday, October 28, 2018 at 3:00 p.m., with pre-concert activities starting at 2:00 p.m. Get tickets online or at the Laurie Auditorium box office. Enjoy beautiful classical music, have fun, dress up—and good luck with the costume contest!
Read more:
- “Opera San Antonio Presents ‘La Traviata’: Young People Encounter Grand Opera,” Inga Cotton, San Antonio Charter Moms, September 13, 2018
- “Opera in Schools: A School Visit with OPERA San Antonio Education Programs,” Inga Cotton, San Antonio Charter Moms, September 2, 2017
- “Explore Opera! with OPERA San Antonio at the San Antonio Public Library,” Inga Cotton, San Antonio Charter Moms, August 17, 2017
- “Family Tickets to Halloween Spooktacular with the San Antonio Symphony,” Inga Cotton, San Antonio Charter Moms, October 21, 2013
