Preparing For Your Experience at
T
hank you for joining us at Symphony Center this Saturday! Whether this is the first time
that your family will visit Symphony Center, or if you have attended a Once Upon a
Symphony concert before, we promise this will be a fun and memorable experience!
What’s included in this document?
What is Once Upon a Symphony?
What will we see at Once Upon a Symphony?
What should we do before we visit Symphony Center?
What will we experience at Once Upon a Symphony?
Help!!! What do I do when…
Common Questions Answered
5 Simple Do’s and Don’ts
What is Once Upon a Symphony?
While many parents of young children tend to avoid orchestral concerts because of behavioral expectations at
such events, Once Upon a Symphony is designed to take down these barriers and invite young children into
the performance through developmentally appropriate content and techniques.
Imagine a traditional orchestra concert: a dark concert hall full of people, where everyone is expected to sit still
and quiet for a long time, listening to music that is beautiful but is unfamiliar at times. It may seem that there are
many unwritten rules for audience behavior and that applauding at the “wrong” time is frowned upon. Even at
“family-friendly” programming, trying to take a crying or upset child out of the concert hall can be nearly
impossible, but staying in the hall can be disruptive and stressful too.
Once Upon a Symphony is very different from a traditional orchestra concert. Designed especially for 3- to 5year-old children, we have created an experience that will welcome your child into a safe, interactive environment.
Research shows that children learn by seeing, hearing, and doing, and their experience at Once Upon a Symphony
will engage them in each of these ways.
What will we see at Once Upon a Symphony?
Once Upon a Symphony combines music and storytelling to introduce young children to the amazing world of
classical music. This Once Upon a Symphony performance will explore the story of The Little Red Hen through an
original production developed in collaboration with the Chicago Children’s Theatre, and featuring music
performed by members of the “World’s Best, Chicago’s Own” Chicago Symphony Orchestra. This performance
features musicians playing violin, viola, and bass.
What should we do before we visit Symphony Center?
There are several things that you can do to prepare for this experience, making your visit to Symphony Center
more enjoyable and memorable:
 Introduce your child to the story of The Little Red Hen. We suggest some of these beautifully illustrated
books, which can be found at your local library or bookseller or online at Amazon.com.
Please note that the Once Upon a Symphony adaptation of this story differs slightly from other versions. Our
version of the story suggests that reflecting, saying “I’m sorry,” and offering a hand of friendship helps to
foster a strong and healthy community. Please draw attention to the following characteristics of the story:
o
The farm animals are so self-centered that they can’t even make music together.
o
Saying “I’m sorry” and offering to help others creates a caring community.
 Introduce your child to the music they will hear on this program by purchasing recordings or downloading a
playlist of the concert repertoire through Spotify. Listen to this music in the days prior to your visit to
Symphony Center, and explore how the music portrays the activities or images suggested, which are central
parts of the Once Upon a Symphony performance:
o
Symphony No. 83, Mvt. 1 by Franz Joseph Haydn: This music depicts the daily life of the farmyard
community
o
Cocks and Hens from The Carnival of the Animals, by Camille Saint-Saëns: This music illustrates the
busyness of mother hen and her chicks
o
Serenade for Strings in E Major, Mvt. 1 by Antonín Dvořák: This music evokes the expansive
beauty of the wheat field on the farm
o
Simple Gifts: This folk song celebrates how important it is for the community to come together to
get the job done. Sing these lyrics with your child using the first half of the Simple Gifts melody.
When there's work to be done
Too much for you,
Call on friends
They'll know what to do.
If we all work together,
The help we provide
Gets the job done right
And feels good inside.
What will we experience at Symphony Center?
Once Upon a Symphony will take place in Buntrock Hall and in the Rotunda of Symphony Center.
 Starting at 9:15 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., a series of interactive, educational pre-concert activities will take
place at stations throughout the Rotunda. These activities, led by music educators from DePaul University,
are an important part of the Once Upon a Symphony experience, as they will prepare you and your child for
the performance. These activities will include opportunities to listen to, respond to, and create music, and
we encourage you to participate along with your child.
 The Little Red Hen will be performed in Buntrock Hall at 10:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. There are no assigned
seats, so you may sit wherever you are comfortable.
o The performance will include moments where you will be encouraged to sing, dance, and move
along with the artists. It is very important that you be a good model and participate alongside your
child; your child will respond most energetically if he or she sees you having fun too. Please note that
no child will be forced to participate in any way that would make him or her feel uncomfortable.
o If your child becomes upset or uncomfortable during the performance, you are free to leave Buntrock
Hall and re-enter later. Remember, if your child starts to cry, it is their way of saying, “I need a
break.” It’s OK—stay calm.
 CSO ushers and volunteers will be on hand to help ensure that you and your child have a safe and enjoyable
experience.
Help!!! What do I do when…
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… my child is ready to go home but the concert has barely started?
o Take a moment to step out of Buntrock Hall and get a drink of water. Remember, you can exit and
re-enter at any time. It may be helpful to bring an “emergency supply” of snacks with you for
moments like this too. If you will be attending the 11:45 a.m. concert, please thoughtfully consider
how this might affect your child’s lunch/nap routine.
… my child is upset, uncomfortable, or even crying?
o This is their way of saying, “There is too much going on right now, and I need a break.” It’s OK—take a
break outside Buntrock Hall and come back when your child is feeling better.
… my child starts wandering toward the stage?
o It’s OK for your child to be up and moving during the performance. This is a sign of their interest in
exploring more. However, children on stage can distract the performers and other audience
members. Please help us ensure that everyone attending this performance has a safe, memorable
experience. After the performance ends, there will be opportunities to visit the stage and meet the
musicians and storyteller. Parts of the performance will also take place in the audience, and there
will be many opportunities where your child will be encouraged to dance, move, or sing with the
music, so there will be many chances to be a part of what is happening on stage without having to
leave your seats.
Common Questions Answered
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Where is Symphony Center? Where can I park?
Entrances are located at 220 S. Michigan Ave. and 67 E. Adams St. To find nearby parking locations,
we suggest visiting chicagoparkingmap.com or chicago.bestparking.com.
What do I do with my stroller?
Stroller parking will be available on
the 1st floor of the Rotunda.
Symphony Center staff will park your
stroller in a safe, secure location.
Where is the performance?
Buntrock Hall, located on the 2nd
floor of the Rotunda.
Do we need to dress up?
No! We encourage you to dress
comfortably.
Where are our seats?
There are no assigned seats for these performances. Seating consists of cushions and benches of various
heights. Please sit where you are most comfortable.
What if my child is in a wheelchair?
Buntrock Hall is completely wheelchair accessible, and our ushering staff will be happy to assist in
accommodating any patrons who may use wheelchairs. However, we kindly ask that you please
contact Patron Services in advance of the concert to inform us of any special needs you may have.
Patron Services may be reached at 312.294.3000.
Do we have to stay in our seats?
No! You may move to different seats during the performance, sit on the floor, or move closer to the
stage, but we do ask that you be courteous to your neighbors and allow them to enjoy the performance
too. Please be aware that parts of the show will take place in the audience. For the safety and
enjoyment of our audience and performers, we do ask that you keep your child close to you. If he or she
begins to wander toward the stage or backstage, please gently guide him or her back to your seats.
There will be opportunities to see the stage and meet the musicians after the performance.
What if my child cries, becomes upset during the performance, or needs to use the restroom?
Unlike concerts in Orchestra Hall, you may exit and re-enter this performance at any time. You may exit
Buntrock Hall to comfort your child or give them a break so that they do not distract other patrons from
enjoying the performance. Our ushering staff and volunteers will help direct you to the nearest entrance
and exit.
What if my child becomes noisy or talks during the performance?
It’s OK! We expect that young children will behave like young children. However, we do ask that you
please be courteous to your neighbors and allow them to enjoy the performance too.
My child is uncomfortable around strangers. Will they be OK during this concert?
Your child will not be forced to do anything that might make him or her uncomfortable. If they do not
want to participate in any part of the experience, it’s fine to just sit and watch.
Can we sing along or hum along or dance to the music?
Absolutely! Please do! During some parts of the performance, we want everyone to sing, hum and
dance!
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Can I videotape or photograph the concert?
No. Symphony Center policies expressly prohibit still, audio, and video recording, which includes
cell phone recordings. Flash photography is very distracting to the performers, and the bright light
emitted by camera and cell phone screens is very distracting to other audience members. There will be
opportunities to take photos and meet performers after the performance.
5 Simple Do’s and Don’ts
To have the best experience at
Once Upon a Symphony,
DO…
To have the best experience at
Once Upon a Symphony,
DON’T…
1. Participate in the activities that take place
before the performance along with your
child—they will be fun, and they will improve
your child’s experience, and your participation
will encourage them to do so.
1. Force your child to sit still and quiet during the
performance—let them sing along, be
comfortable, or ask questions.
2. Sing and move along with your child during
the performance—it’s part of the experience!
3. Sit wherever your child wants to sit—there are
no assigned seats.
4. Explore the story and some of the music
before and after you visit Symphony Center.
5. Feel free to exit and re-enter the concert
whenever you need to if your child begins to
feel upset or uncomfortable—it is OK to take a
break and give them time to calm down.
2. Overdress—wear comfortable clothes so that
you and your child may participate in the
activities before the concert and during the
concert itself.
3. Force your child to participate if they don’t
want to—allow them to experience the story
and music in their own way.
4. Be embarrassed or upset if your child needs to
take a break from the performance—it’s OK if
you need to step out and calm down so that
your neighbors aren’t distracted.
5. Be afraid to experience new things!
Once Upon a Symphony is a program of the
Presented in collaboration with