An Orchestra Adventure (with Maestro Karl and friends)

Join the Calgary Philharmonic and Associate Conductor Karl Hirzer for a fun and educational tour of the Orchestra! This online series takes kids on a musical journey through the sections that make up a symphony orchestra.

Along the way, they'll encounter different instruments and some of the musicians who play them, as well as take a few side trips to discover interesting facts about music and famous composers.

This series of four 15-minute episodes is perfect for parents and educators who want to share the symphony orchestra experience with children and spark a life-long love of classical music.

In the second instalment, Maestro Karl discovers interesting facts about the instruments of the biggest section of the Orchestra — violin, viola, cello, and double bass — and takes a trip back in time to learn more about composer Johann Sebastian Bach.

In this webisode, we take a tour through the instruments in the brass family, including trumpet, horn, trombone, and tuba. This is not only the shiniest section of the orchestra, but it can also be the loudest. We'll learn some fun facts about the life of Beethoven, a composer who overcame his hearing loss and changed the course of music history.

In our final instalment of An Orchestra Adventure (with Maestro Karl and friends), we'll explore the percussion section (triangle, cymbals, timpani, bass drum, and more!) and enjoy a special visit from Music Director Rune Bergmann. While discovering the instruments and how to keep the beat, we'll also meet acclaimed Odawa First Nations composer Barbara Croall and learn about her piece Innenohr (Inner Ear).