In coordination with Livermore Valley Arts and in partnership with Valley Dance Theatre, the Symphony Association presents an annual short family concert inside Livermore’s Bankhead Theater. Free general-admission tickets become available in the fall. Although this concert is always an early “sellout,” the chance of being seated for the concert with a wait-list ticket is close to 100%.

The family concert of the 2024–2025 season was on December 7, 2024. This short, fun-filled celebration of the holiday season included a Sugar Plum Fairy dancing, a Sound of Music medley to sing along with, a taste of “Clarinet Candy,” and more. Immediately after the concert there was an “instrument petting zoo” in the lobby that included woodwinds and brass instruments (in addition to strings and percussion) for the first time since since the pandemic.

Note: The Symphony and the Bankhead Theater follow Alameda County Public Health Department protocols and CDC recommendations that apply to performing musicians and large indoor gatherings. See details here. The health and well-being of our audience and musicians is prioritized over all else.
 

 
Our family concert in the 2023–2024 season was on December 2, 2023. It was free of charge and lasted about an hour, ending well before the start of Livermore Downtown’s Sights and Sounds Holiday Parade. In the lobby after the concert, an instrument petting zoo offered audience members an opportunity to try out instruments under supervision of the musicians. (Percussion and strings, mostly violins; no woodwinds or brass just to limit any chance of contagion in the time of Covid.)

Due to public health concerns during the pandemic, there was no 2020 concert, but this festive event returned in early December 2022 and 2021. The 2021 concert, for example, included a holiday sing-along, excerpts from The Nutcracker — with ballet dancers, 76 Trombones (not actually with quite so many trombones!), a Sleigh Ride, a Hanukkah Festival Overture, and selections from The Sound of Music.

The fifth annual family concert was on December 7, 2019, at 3 p.m., prior to the start of Livermore’s annual holiday parade. The concert lasted about an hour. LAS played Carnival of the Animals, narrated by Michael Wayne Rice; a selection of holiday favorites; and seasonal music. Valley Dance Theatre, accompanied by LAS, also performed. Following the concert, an instrument petting zoo staffed by Symphony musicians offered audience members the opportunity to interact with the musicians and their instruments. As usual, the concert was free, although tickets were required.

The fourth annual free concert was on December 1, 2018, from 3 to about 4 p.m. The Symphony played a selection of holiday favorites and seasonal music. Valley Dance Theatre, accompanied by LAS, performed several selections from the Nutcracker ballet. Following the concert, an instrument petting zoo offered audience members an opportunity to try out musical instruments under supervision of the musicians, assisted by high school students. Although the concert was fully subscribed, at 15 minutes prior to the start of the concert there were plenty of seats for people on the wait list.

The third annual free family-oriented concert — a sellout — was on December 2, 2017. The Symphony played holiday favorites and seasonal music. Valley Dance Theatre performed selections from their production of The Nutcracker, accompanied by LAS. Following the performance, an instrument petting zoo was staffed by Symphony musicians, assisted by high-school music students.

LVPAC hosted its second annual free family concert on December 3, 2016. Performers from Cantabella Children’s Chorus and Valley Dance Theatre were featured in addition to the Symphony. An instrument petting zoo followed the performance.

In “Peter and the Wolf,” which
instruments represent the wolf?
 

Symphony Storytime and Surprises was the title of a family concert at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore sponsored by Shea Homes. Less than an hour long on the afternoon of December 5, 2015, and followed by an instrument petting zoo, the program included Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Waltz, “Peter and the Wolf” narrated by Livermore Mayor John Marchand, and more. The Cantabella Children’s Chorus joined the orchestra for this performance. Tickets were required, but the concert was free. Read the concert program booklet (968K pdf), including lyrics from the sing-a-long which ended the show.

Instrument zoo photos by Andrew Edwards of LVPAC, 12/2/17;
horns / wolves photo by Jacqueline McBride, 11/5/15.