By Erica Wright
The Birmingham Times
The Birmingham Music Club (BMC) will host its 8th Annual “The Young People’s Concert” Tuesday, October 1 at the Alabama Theatre.
The programs are at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
This year’s theme is “Maestro Goes to Mardi Gras” featuring Maestro Ron Bourdages, who is also executive director of the BMC, orchestra and singers.
The concerts began in 2011 with a “Maestro Goes” theme. Past years there were “Maestro Goes to the Movies”; “Maestro Goes to Motown”; “Maestro Goes to Tuxedo Junction”; “Maestro Goes Around the World.”
The concerts are available to any school children and most have come from the Birmingham City Schools.
The music club pays for the buses to transport the children and students cannot pay, the Music Club will sponsor them. The concert is mostly for elementary schools students but sometimes, some middle and high school students get to attend.
“We have a small orchestra with about 13 pieces this year and during the concert we introduce the children to each player so they learn them and they also get to hear their instrument,” said Bourdages. “Besides having string instruments and horns, we also have a drummer and a bass player, like a band. We have professional sound and lights and then there are also singers, so these concerts are like a rock show for kids.”
Bourdages said though the concert is fun, but educational.
“I have worked for the Music Club for a long time, and over the years, they would present concerts for the children with some of the classical performers and it was boring,” said Bourdages. “I thought we need to create a concert for the children that is educational and exciting, so that was my inspiration. I wanted to create a musical event for children and make it high quality and high energy and something we could really have a lot of fun with. The kids love it.”
The concert is also interactive and there is a part called “Name that Tune”.
“In that section, several members of the orchestra will come up on stage and they’ll play a part of a song such as a theme song from a TV show like Flintstones and then we’ll get the kids to guess what the name of the song is,” said Bourdages.
Though the concert introduces the children to classical instruments such as the violin or viola, it is not all classical music.
The music fits with the theme of the concert. This year, children can look forward to hearing the sounds of New Orleans.
“We’re going to start off with ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’, which is one of the most famous songs from New Orleans and then we’re going to branch out and do different songs,” said Bourdages.
He said planning for the show begins six months ahead of time when musical arrangements are made and the singers and musicians rehearse.
There is only one rehearsal with both singers and musicians the night before the concert.
The Birmingham Music Club was founded in 1905 and is Birmingham’s oldest arts group as it is 114 years old and has been presenting concerts since its founding.
For tickets, email BhamMusicClub@gmail.com or call 205-253-1313 or visit www.bhammusicclub.org.
