Pennington Gap, VA – The Pro-Art Association presents When Instruments Roamed the Earth! a children’s themed concert for families with the Symphony of the Mountains on Monday, May 9th, 2022 at 7:00 PM in the C. Bascom Slemp Auditorium at Lee High School in Pennington Gap. When Instruments Roamed the Earth! is an all-original, multi-media story-and-music event, designed to have family audiences fall in love with the sound, the people, and the experience of a symphony orchestra concert. This performance is part of the W. Campbell Edmonds Concert Series and is free and open to the public.
In pre-historic times, strange creatures walked the planet. These were the ancient ancestors of musical instruments that inspired melodious makers in brass and wood to create the instruments we see in the orchestra today. Join the Symphony of the Mountains on a journey into a time When Instruments Roamed the Earth! Filled with laughs, surprises, multi-media projection, and on-stage action, the symphony will present the perfect all-ages introduction to the exciting sounds, people, and experience of a symphony orchestra concert.
Hear the hilarious “research” of paleo-musicologist, Sir Humphrey Treble-Clef, who believes that our modern instruments are actually the descendants of giant, dinosaur-like creatures like you’ve never seen before. These are strange creatures which exist in the hot, mysterious, swampy jungles of Sir Humphrey’s unusual imagination. Most will not believe a man who tried to prove that ancient humans made music by hitting themselves on the head with rocks; but everyone will smile, laugh, and be in awe of the symphonic interpretations of Sir Humphrey’s wild theories, featuring all the instruments of the orchestra.
This concert is created by the award-winning team of composer Bob Singleton and script and story writer Stephen White. Singleton is a classically trained, Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum album award-winning composer, producer, and arranger. His musical works for kids include music for over 70 PBS episodes, more than 60 albums, an NBC network special, and a sold-out Radio City Music Hall run. Bob served as the music director for the world-wide children’s phenomenon, “Barney & Friends” for 10 years. White is an Emmy and Grammy-nominated writer, with years of experience writing for television, home videos, stage shows, million-selling children’s books, and film. He was Principal Writer for “Barney & Friends” for 16 years.
Symphony of the Mountains will perform When Instruments Roamed the Earth! on Monday, May 9th at 7:00 PM in the C. Bascom Slemp Auditorium at Lee High School in Pennington Gap, VA. This performance is part of the W. Campbell Edmonds Concert Series and is free and open to the public. Pro-Art is following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for masking. In accordance with the agency’s current recommendation, masks are optional for this event.
Symphony of the Mountains has a strong and proud heritage. The orchestra began in 1946 when a small group of musicians dreamed of having a civic orchestra. Twenty-seven musicians attended the first rehearsal and the number quickly grew to more than forty. In the 80’s and 90’s the orchestra grew steadily and increased its outreach. The commitment to service now encompasses the entire region, without regard for state or county boundaries. Today the orchestra consists of more than seventy professional musicians and is conducted by Cornelia Laemmli Orth. For more information about Symphony of the Mountains, please visit symphonyofthemountains.org.
Pro-Art partners with a variety of venues, therefore individuals with mobility issues are encouraged to call or email the Pro-Art office to make arrangements for parking. For evolving conditions related to the global pandemic, inclement weather, or similar unforeseen circumstances, patrons are encouraged to visit proartva.org or call 276-376-4520 for up-to-date information.
Pro-Art’s mission is to promote the arts and expand accessibility to cultural experiences for residents and students in Wise, Lee, and Dickenson Counties and the City of Norton. For more information about our planned performances, please visit proartva.org. You can find the Pro-Art Association on social media @ProArtVA.
Pro-Art is supported in part by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as the Slemp Foundation, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, and Mountain Empire Community College. For more information about Pro-Art, please visit proartva.org, call the office at (276) 376-4520, or send an email to pro-art@uvawise.edu.