CAPE ANN SYMPHONY
THE 57th SEASON
Yoichi Udagawa, Music Director
The Cape Ann Symphony Presents
A Special Concert For The Whole Family
Featuring the Premiere of Gloucester Based Work
Katy and The Big Snow
The Cape Ann Symphony under the musical direction of Conductor Yoichi Udagawa proudly presents the annual Family Concert on Saturday, January 24th at 2 p.m. The Family Concert features the world premiere of Katy and the Big Snow by Gloucester composer Robert J. Bradshaw. This musical retelling of the children’s classic written by Gloucester’s own Virginia Lee Burton was commissioned by the Cape Ann Symphony to commemorate the award-winning author and illustrator Virginia Lee Burton’s centennial year. The original orchestral composition of Katy and the Big Snow features orchestra, narrator and a multimedia presentation of Burton’s own original illustrations from the book. Her illustrations will be projected above the orchestra during the narration. The charming story of Katy and the Big Snow follows an intrepid tractor named Katy who pushes a bulldozer in the summer and snowplow in the winter. She is too powerful to be used until a winter blizzard buries the city of Geoppolis up to its second-story windows. Virginia Lee Burton has admitted that the streets of Geoppolis are a fanciful rendering of the streets of her beloved Gloucester. Recently retired Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mike Costello narrates the world premiere work.
The Family Concert program also includes Morton Gould’s American Salute, Aaron Copland’s Hoe Down from Rodeo, John Williams’ Star Wars and John Philip Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever. As a special treat, Stars and Stripes Forever will be accompanied by projections over the orchestra of student artwork. Cape Ann Fourth and Fifth Graders have created drawings of fireworks displays to accompany the classic John Philip Sousa piece. ‘The Family Concert,’ points out Conductor Udagawa, ‘is a terrific way to introduce young people to the thrill of symphonic music. It’s such a pleasure to see the kids’ faces when they first experience live classical music. These are the audiences of the future.’ The Cape Ann Symphony performs at the Fuller Auditorium, Blackburn Circle/Route 128 in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The ticket prices for the Family Concert are Adult tickets (including Senior Citizens): $15 and Youth tckets (18 years old and under): $5.00. Fuller Auditorium is handicapped accessible. For more information or to reserve tickets, call 978-281-0543 or visit the Symphony’s website at www.capeannsymphony.org.
In case of snow, the snow date for the performance is Sunday, January 25 at 2 p.m.