High Brow Culture For Kids This Weekend: Concerts, Ballet, Jazz and Art Events

3/6/09 - By Anna Fader

Ballet, Opera, Orchestra, Art Museums. For many people, high brow cultural opportunities like these are the best thing about New York City. And there's no reason that can't be true for kids too. Start your toddlers, preschoolers and little kids off on a diet of high brow culture tailored just for kids and before you know it you'll be taking them to the real thing.

This weekend there are a bevy of fun high brow performances your kids will love. But don't take my word for it. I've included some video clips for each show (where available) so you can decide for yourselves if this high brow culture is cool or not...oh, and most of these events are parts of series, so if you can't catch them this weekend, look for alternate performance and dates.

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Tubby Tuba and the Big Brass Band
Little Orchestra Society Lolli-Pops Concert
Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8
Ages 3-5
$25

Lolli-Pops concerts teach children the fundamentals of classical music through fun performances that prepare children for a lifetime love of music. THe Little Orchestra Society also has a concert series for children 6-12. In Tubby the Tuba, they'll explore the brass family through the story of Tubby the Tuba.

Carnival of the Animals
New York Theater Ballet
Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8
ages 3-10
$25-$30

New York Theater Ballet does "real" ballets adapted for young children and performed in one interactive hour. The Carnival of the Animals is one of their most popular performances and sure to delight with wonderful costumes and the chance to learn some steps of their own.

See a video representing the NYTB's Family Series for a taste of what they do here.

Lemony Snicket's The Composer is Dead
Carnegie Hall Family Concert Series
Saturday, March 2
Tickets from $9

The kooky author, Lemony Snicket, created this orchestral piece to introduce children (or anyone) to classical music, make it exciting and fun. Come an hour early for a pre-performance interview with Lemony Snicket.

This is an interesting video about the making of the piece:

What is Hot Jazz?
Jazz for Young People Concert Series @ Lincoln Center
Saturday, March 7
Tickets start at $12
ages 6-12

This family series is designed to inspire children to learn and love jazz. Wycliffe Gordon and friends talk about the many ways jazz musicians can "set a song ablaze, and put some Tabasco on their swing."  

This video is of a similar concert from the series with Wynton Marsalis.

But there's more than just performances this weekend. It's also the first weekend of the month so there's a slew of first weekend art events for families where museums you might not dare to visit normally are making it fun for kids to explore their exhibits. Check these out:

American Folk Art Museum
Saturday, March 7, 1-2:30
45 West 53rd Street, New York
Free with museum admission
Information: 212. 265. 1040, ext. 148, or familyprograms@folkartmuseum.org

Children will be introduced to the Ammi Philips and Mark Rothko exhibit and taught to look closer at the paintings to see what they can learn about the subjects. After a discussion in the galleries, families will create portraits to take home.

The New Museum
Saturday, March 7 11:30am-12:30pm
235 Bowery
FREE
Ages 5-15

Explore contemporary China in the exhibit Urban China:Informal Cities. Participate with your family in a hands-on workshop to create personal artifacts inspired by some of the objects in the show.