The program will follow the orchestra's development across more than 250 years of music, from Antonio Vivaldi to Aaron Copland. Children and their families will be invited to meet the different instrument families and hear how additions to the ensemble produced new colors, fuller textures and bigger sounds over time. The concert is intended as an approachable first experience for young concertgoers while still offering familiar musical discoveries for adults.
Admission is free, with donations welcome. The performance begins a season that will continue with programs in December, March and May, all planned for Summit High School. The orchestra describes the October event as a family concert and the start of its 89th season.
Summit Symphony has offered admission-free concerts to the city and surrounding communities since it was founded in 1938 by the Summit Board of Recreation. Today, the ensemble includes approximately 65 active musicians, including some high school students, and continues to pair community access with live orchestral performance.
The family concert is supported by the Summit Foundation and funding from the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. More information is available at summitsymphony.org.