Neighbor News
Bay Area Family Music Event Recommendations
Family-friendly musical things to do with your kids the weekend of October 25th and 26th, 2014.
It’s the weekend before Halloween and the Bay Area is gearing up for some epic trick-or-treating. There are pumpkin festivals all over the place, with Andy Z (the hardest working man in family-music-show business) playing at roughly 90% of them. Check him out at the Blossom Halloween Festival in Palo Alto and the Music and Magic Show in Mill Valley.
If you’re not in a spooky mood, there is some great Classical music happening all over the place, including (my personal favorite) Appalachian Spring at Davies Symphony Hall and celebrated Bay Area pianist Jon Nakamatsu playing “standards” with the Peninsula Symphony. Up for trying something new? There’s Czech Bluegrass at the Woodshed Concerts in San Jose. Yes, you read that right, Czech Bluegrass.
Read on for the full list sorted by day and have a musical weekend!
Find out what's happening in Los Gatosfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Friday
Find out what's happening in Los Gatosfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Where/when: Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto
Mill Valley, 94941. Friday, October 24 @ 4pm-7:30pm.
What age group: 0-10
What’s cool about it?: See some magic and hear some great music at this fun family event. Perfect way to gear up for Halloween. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets are $9 and kids 3 and under are free.
What: Breakfast with Enzo
Where and when: Sports Basement Presidio Store, 610 Old Mason St, San Francisco. Friday October 24, 10-11am and 11-12. (Each show features different sets of music.)
What age group?: 6 and under
What’s cool about it: You have to see Enzo Garcia’s show. He combines songs with fun audience interaction...and he plays the saw, the accordion and the harmonica. Who wouldn’t love for their kid to play the saw?
What: Christian Zacharias conducts Appalachian Spring with the SFS
Where/when: Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco. Friday, October 24 @ 6:30pm
What age group:
What’s cool about it?: This concert is a great mix of American and European, Classical and 20th Century. Most importantly, though, it features one of the most masterful American compositions of the 20th century, Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring. The theme, taken from a traditional Shaker melody, is instantly recognizable to anybody who’s ever watched TV commercials or CBS news. And if that wasn’t enough, the concert also features Mozart’s gorgeous Piano Concerto No. 20. Even though I’ve heard this concerto hundreds of times at this point in my life, it still takes my breath away when the piano comes in at the beginning of the first movement. If you want to instill a love of classical music in your kids, take them to this concert.
Saturday
What: The Pop Ups play the final weekend of the Tricycle Library Music Fest
Where/when: Two shows:
1) Eureka Valley Library, 1 Jose Sarria Ct, San Francisco. Saturday, October 25 @ 1pm.
2) Potrero Hill Library, 1616 20th St, San Francisco . Sunday, October 25 @ 3pm.
What age group: 0-8
What’s cool about it?: The Pop Ups are a crafty, Grammy-nominated musical duo from Brooklyn who perform with hand made cardboard sets and fun puppets. Don’t miss their West Coast shows that will close out the Tricycle Music Fest for 2014.
What: Have “Breakfast with Enzo”
Where and when: Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center, 515 Cortland Ave. San Francisco, CA 94110. Saturday, October 25, two shows 10-11am and 11-12pm
What age group: 0-5
What’s cool about it?: This is an engaging show where little ones can learn about the accordion and the saw (don’t worry, no teeth on this one!). Enzo Garcia mixes songs with interactive banter that will keep kids entertained for the whole hour.
What: Jon Nakamatsu and the Peninsula Symphony
Where/when: Two shows: 1) Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd,Cupertino. Saturday, October 25 @ 8pm.
2) Capuchino High School, 1501 Magnolia Ave, San Bruno. Sunday, October 26 @ 2:30pm.
What age group: 8+ (note that this is not a free event)
What’s cool about it?: Jon Nakamatsu used to be a German teacher at a local high school until he won the prestigious Van Cliburn Piano Competition (an unusual feat for somebody who didn’t attend a conservatory or study music in college). Since then he’s been touring the world performing, among many things, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 - a piece that is a “must” for any concert pianist.
What: Green Golly and Her Golden Flute
Where/when: Children’s Discovery Museum, 180 Woz Way, San Jose, 95110. Saturday, October 25@ 1pm and 2:30pm.
What age group: 0-7
What’s cool about it?: Looks like a really cool show for little ones where they can learn about the flute through a captivating fairy tale. Check out a preview here.
What: Druha Trava at the Woodshed
Where/when: St. James Anglican Church 1565 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA 95125. Sat, October 24, 2014 @ 7pm
What age group: 10+ (note that this is not a free concert)
What’s cool about it?: Czechgrass is exactly what it sounds like, Czech Bluegrass. But what exactly does Druha Trava’s music sound like? There’s only one way to find out. Ok, here’s a little taste but you should really hear them live. Inspired by Pete Seeger’s tour through Czechoslovakia during the 1960’s, this band had a very American sound with an Eastern European twist.
Sunday
What: Bug Family Band plays the “Silly Sunday” Series Finale
Where/when: Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center, 1317 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley. Sunday, October 26 @ 3-4:30pm
What age group: 0-12
What’s cool about it?: Kids of all ages are in for a treat as the Bug Family Band offers the final concert of the season in our perennially popular “Silly Sundays” series of kids’ shows. And not just any final concert, this one is the pre-Halloween Costume Party! Come dressed as your favorite bug, or anything else.
What: The Pop Ups play the final weekend of the Tricycle Library Music Fest
Where/when: Two shows:
1) Eureka Valley Library, 1 Jose Sarria Ct, San Francisco. Saturday, October 25 @ 1pm.
2) Potrero Hill Library, 1616 20th St, San Francisco . Sunday, October 25 @ 3pm.
What age group: 0-8
What’s cool about it?: The Pop Ups are a crafty, Grammy-nominated musical duo from Brooklyn who perform with hand made cardboard sets and fun puppets. Don’t miss their West Coast shows that will close out the Tricycle Music Fest for 2014.
What: Jon Nakamatsu and the Peninsula Symphony
Where/when: Two shows: 1) Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd,Cupertino. Saturday, October 25 @ 8pm.
2) Capuchino High School, 1501 Magnolia Ave, San Bruno. Sunday, October 26 @ 2:30pm.
What age group: 8+ (note that this is not a free event)
What’s cool about it?: Jon Nakamatsu used to be a German teacher at a local high school until he won the prestigious Van Cliburn Piano Competition (an unusual feat for somebody who didn’t attend a conservatory or study music in college). Since then he’s been touring the world performing, among many things, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 - a piece that is a “must” for any concert pianist.
What: Stanford Band, Andy Z play the Blossom Halloween Carnival
Where/when: California Ave (between El Camino Real and Park Blvd), Palo Alto. Sunday, October 26 @ 10am-2pm
What age group: 0-12
What’s cool about it?: There’s going to be a costume contest judged by the mayor of Palo Alto, crafts, Andy Z(!) and a Halloween Parade led by the Stanford Marching Band.
Find more details at http://www.ifoundmusik.com