By Larry Hook, for the Jackson Citizen Patroit,
Monday, February 2, 2004
 

The eighth annual event at Jackson High School allows children to experience the many wonders of music, according to organizer Mary Spring, development director for the Jackson Symphony Orchestra.

"We do this so families and kids have a chance to come and see music and be a part of it," Spring said. "It's all kinds of music. We have folk guitars, banjos, harmonicas and spoons, as well as all the different instruments in an orchestra."

Spring said the festival stage featured blues, jazz, folk, Dixieland, classical music and a performance by the Jackson Youth Symphony. A highlight was the performance of Joseph Haydn's "Farewell" (Symphony No. 45), by the Jackson Symphony Orchestra.

The performance included projected illustrations and a reading from Anna Harwell Celenza, author of the children's book "The Farewell Symphony."

The book is a true story about the "Farewell" composition.

"By the time the children finish reading the book, they know how to listen to the piece of music," Celenza said.

Celenza was selling and autographing copies of "The Farewell Symphony" and two other children's books she wrote about famous composers.

Another festival highlight was the kitchen band room, where children made and played their own instruments.

Various booths were titled "Play on a Rainbow," "Macaroni Box Fiddle," "Tap Dancing Fingers," "What's a Boom-bah?" and "World's Simplest Snare Drum."

One booth allowed children to make a conductor's baton out of a pretzel stick and a marshmallow.

They could then move to the next booth to learn how to conduct the orchestra.

"We know that some will eat their baton before they get to the conductor's workshop," said Barbara Duke, a volunteer for the Jackson Symphony Guild Board.

Upstairs, rooms were set aside for kids to play various instruments in the strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion categories.

Children found plenty of exciting musical opportunities at the festival.

"I did science with the music," said 10-year-old Tony Mayotte of Spring Arbor. "I did the thunder stick and an echo microphone. The instruments are pretty cool. I like the piano and the violin the best. They make nice noise."

Madelyn Miller, 4, of Rives Junction enjoyed the chance to play a violin, a flute, bells and other instruments.

"I liked playing the big drums," Madelyn said. "They make a boom like thunder."

More than 100 volunteers from the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, various schools and local organizations helped out.