Symphoria is bringing the Olympics to Syracuse this weekend with the Musicalympics. The event will take place on Saturday at Inspiration Hall in an effort to expose young adults to music in an interactive way.

The event gained its name due to its timing — it aligns with the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics on Feb. 9 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

“We have an education and outreach committee that includes music educators, some of our musicians and some of our staff members, and we were talking about our programming and sort of bumped into the idea that the Olympics are going on,” said Catherine Underhill, the managing director at Symphoria. “So, tying in the kids’ concert that is scheduled for February with the Olympics makes a ton of sense.”

The show will mix classic Olympic songs with music that’s associated with sports in general. Songs to be featured include the “Rocky” theme, “The Skater’s Waltz” and the “Chariots of Fire” theme.

“We just think of the Olympics as topical and that it would pique people’s interest and how music helps reflect the drama of sport,” said Jon Mosbo, the Symphoria orchestra manager.

During the Musicalympics, conductor Christian Capocaccia will ask the audience questions about the music and offer facts that relate to the piece being played, and the show is tailored to a young audience.

Underhill said the Musicalympics is one of Symphoria’s three kids’ concerts, which are part of their standard offerings.

“Typically, we have about 30-35 performances each year and we have many things that appeal to kids and families, but these kids’ concerts are specifically scheduled and designed for younger children,” she said.

Although the event is Olympic-themed, it will be centered around a younger audience. Many of the interactions at the Musicalympics will be focused on allowing children to interact with instruments they may not have used before.

Prior to the performances, there will be an instrument discovery zone to allow kids to “come and try out instruments and get hands-on experience,” said Jon Garland, a musician in the orchestra and one of Symphoria’s founders.

“It’s a great way to spend a Saturday morning,” Garland said. “If you’re a family and you think, ‘I would like my kids to see what an orchestra does’ or want for them to be exposed to classical music, that’s what this concert is about,” Garland said.

The event is free for those under 18 and costs $5 for students. Tickets will be available on the Symphoria’s website or at the Symphoria box office.

Published on January 30, 2018 at 9:57 pm

Contact Mateo: mtestlin@syr.edu