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As part of our Konos studies on sound, we will begin learning about music, the great composers, and the orchestra. I was delighted when some friends of ours who are also working on this unit, invited us along with them to the Meyerson Symphony Center for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's Youth Concert Series, "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra". The program is geared towards school field trips so it was perfect for us. The DSO even sent me a full teacher's guide complete with activities and projects and a full CD of music to go along with the guide.
I tried to get my sweet darling children to pose for a picture inside the Meyerson but the little one just wanted to keep going up and down the stairs.
The building is really beautiful with lots of interesting architectural features.
In the lobby, there are many nice photographs of the individual performers in the orchestra. I asked each child to pick their favorite picture. Rachel chose the conductor.
Nicholas liked the french horn and the bassoon the best.
We had seats in a luge box so there were just 8 seats in our little "room". It was perfect for us and our friends. It felt like our own private concert.
Nicholas was very proud to be at the concert. He had gotten all dressed up and was excited to hear the performance. He really loves music of all kinds.
The performance was incredible. The conductor and the musicians spoke to the children and demonstrated the four different families of musical instruments: percussion, brass, woodwinds, and strings. Then within each family, they demonstrated the different instruments, how they are played, and how they sound compared to other instruments in that family.
After the performance, we enjoyed just walking around the Meyerson and watching the other people milling around.
We decided we were ready for lunch so we headed over to Smashburger on McKinney Ave.
This is one of our family's favorite places to go for a good burger. But they also make a good milkshake too!
Just outside of Smashburger is a stop for the McKinney Avenue trolley. We love riding on the trolley any chance we get. It's free too!
The trolley cars are true vintage cars but they have been updated to provide air conditioning and heat!
What a fun way to step back in time!
Every time we ride, the drivers have been friendly and talkative with us. On this trip, our driver told us a lot of history about the area. Nicholas enjoyed talking with him as we rode along.
We were riding on the car named "Petunia" which was built in 1920 but served for 30 years as the home of a rancher in East Texas!
The trolley cars are powered by an electric cable that runs over head and they are kept on their path by a track on the road.