Philomel's Song: Press

Music for Kids: Where the Crowd Really Does Go Wild
10 Durand Rd, Maplewood, NJ, 07040

Maplewood kids go bonkers (within reason) at the Burgdorff
By Mary Mann
February 6, 2009

This past Saturday, shortly after my four-year-old daughter woke up at around 7 a.m., she started bringing offerings to my bed–stuffed animals, My Little Ponies, her artistic rendering of my wedding photo in which all the participants are shaped like hearts. By 10 a.m., we had made pancakes, tried to fold laundry and played about eight games of Candy Land. Outside, the thermometer was barely inching above 20 degrees and our driveway was covered in ice.

What to do with the rest of our morning? Outdoor activities were out. Shopping? Not in this economy.

We headed for the Music for Kids concert at the Burgdorff Center. This month’s selection was titled “Classical Music for Kids” and featured Philomel’s Song, a flute and mezzo soprano duo offering child-friendly songs in a relaxed environment for young children.

It was the first foray into tot concerts for Peabody-trained flutist Jill Sokol and mezzo soprano Fay Farmer. Though more accustomed to playing for attentive and respectful adult audiences, Sokol and Farmer seemed unfazed by the little people scrambling at their feet and chattering through the performance.

The parents I spoke with said the performance was less engaging than some others in the series (former shows include Jazz for Kids, Irish Music for Kids, Opera for Kids, Reggae for Kids and Cowboy Music for Kids), but the children seemed to have a blast. For example, seven-year-old Jack Lindstrom stood and clapped, marched, howled and made bird sounds.

“He was into it,” said his mother, Jenny Lindstrom of Maplewood. “It’s great that they give them things to do with their bodies.”

She added: “I love the seating.” Children and parents all sit on cushions on the floor. “It’s informal and you don’t have to worry about your kids staying in their seat.”

Lia Niles would agree. The adorable 18-month-old nearly stole the show as she planted herself at Farmer’s feet and clapped vigorously for each song. My own four-year-old ignored the music but had a wonderful time coloring pictures of instruments and a flute-playing bear.

Flutist Jill Sokol is a new Maplewood resident and has also been teaching an after-school enrichment class at Seth Boyden Demonstration School. Sokol put a great deal of thought into the program, using excerpts of songs by 20th century composers. Though modern, the music was lyrical and was used to evoke butterflies (Katherine Hoover’s Seven Haiku for Mezzo Soprano and Flute), birds flying south (Robert Cronin’s Host) and other animals. Sokol seemed to enjoy the children almost as much as they enjoyed her music and looks forward to further refining the concert for future audiences based on this experience. Her Web site has information about her performances and instructional offerings here.

The Music for Kids series is the brainchild of former Maplewood Cultural Affairs Director Jim Buchanan, and has been organized for the past few years by Susan Leone. Most children in Maplewood know “Miss Susan” who is locally famous for her Kindermusik classes at area preschools and has just opened the Jazzberries Center for Art & Music on Springfield Avenue.


The next Music for Kids Concert is “Folk Music for Kids” on Saturday, February 28th, at the Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts, 10 Durand Road, Maplewood. There are two shows: 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Tickets cost $5.00. 973-378-2133. www.artsmaplewood.org