Melbourne Symphony Orchestra – Pixar in Concert

https://www.mso.com.au/

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of seeing “Pixar in Concert”; a symphony put on by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO). I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but was completely blown away.

Pixar in Concert highlighted all the best Pixar films, with the audience seeming mainly to be “kids of the 90s” as well as their children. The films were displayed in visually stunning, high-definition just above where the orchestra was playing. Some of the films included Toy Story 1, 2, and 3, Cars, Finding Nemo, Wall-E, Ratatouille, A Bug’s Life, The Incredibles, UP, Monsters Inc. and Brave and even the new kid on the block The Good Dinosaur.

The way the concert worked was that each movie had a orchestral piece associated to it; some used just one scene from a film but most used a mashup. The best musical scenes were used and it really highlighted what fantastic composers the Pixar team have working there. What I wasn’t expecting was that all films would be shown without dialogue, simply relying on the quality of the music to tell the story.

I was moved to tears on four separate times…so I dare say that music is quite powerful. You know those tear jerking scenes in Toy Story 3 and in Up…yep, I was a mess. Something about the live music just made the whole experience more emotional, something I simply wasn’t expecting.

The MSO put on many family friendly concerts throughout the year but this was the first one that I had ever attended. I took my four year old niece, as I didn’t think Missy Moo (two years old) could last 1h 50 minutes. My 4yo niece MissyC had a brilliant time toe-tapping away and was happily engaged throughout the show. In fact, she had a ball.

Unfortunately Pixar in Concert only ran over one weekend, with no plans for a repeat performance. But…there are plenty of good performances on the horizon.

Here are a few of the many child friendly performances coming up within the rest of 2017. You can see the full list here.

Meet the Orchestra with James Morrison (recommended ages 4-12)
“This is a concert especially created for children aged 4–12, and their carers, designed to introduce them to the orchestra and the history of jazz music. Of course, orchestral music aficionados looking to share their love of music will also get a real kick out of these concerts.” – MSO website

MSO + Peter and the Wolf in Hollywood
“Based on the bestselling iTunes app, witness the untold prequel to Prokofiev’s iconic Peter and the Wolf, set in modern day Hollywood. Enjoy this humorous and topical fresh take on a much-loved classic, exploring themes of family and friendship, courage and heroism.” – MSO website

Jams for Juniors
We did this program a while ago and had a ball. Read my full review here.

MSO + Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
I already have tickets to this one!! Can’t wait.

Next time you are looking for something a little different to do with your children consider a Melbourne Symphony Orchestra experience. It’s probably not at all what you imagine, but so, so, so much better! I couldn’t recommended this adventure highly enough. 10/10 and seriously, this muggle is excited about MSO Potter Magic.