On December 7th at 11:00 A.M., the Swarthmore College Lab Orchestra will perform Sergei Prokofiev’s symphonic tale for children, Peter and the Wolf. Written in 1936, the story follows a young boy named Peter and his adventures trying to capture a wolf near his home. Prokofiev was commissioned to write a symphony by the Central Children’s Theatre in Moscow, with the goal of introducing children to all the instruments in an orchestra. The piece originally premiered in Moscow in 1936, and has since become a foundational piece in early music education, teaching children around the world about the orchestra. It’s been recorded over 400 times in multiple languages, including this famous performance by the Philadelphia Orchestra, narrated by David Bowie.

About the program, Lab Orchestra director Andrew Hauze ‘04 remarked, “Peter and the Wolf was such an important part of my own childhood, but I only ever heard it on a recording, and so I'm particularly looking forward to everyone being able to see and hear the instruments live in the beauty of Lang Concert Hall."

Olivia Han ’25, a Swarthmore art student, helped create a Peter and the Wolf coloring book earlier this year, and children from all over Delaware and Montgomery Counties submitted colored pages which will be projected during the performance. Kielor Tung ‘25 will conduct the piece. “It's such a fun piece with a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat with its catchy and fun melodies,” Kielor remarked.

The story features a large cast of characters—Peter, his grandfather, a cat, a bird, a duck, the wolf, and the hunters—each of whom is represented by a different instrument in the orchestra. Kids will be able to identify which instruments represent which characters by the different colored shirts worn by each member of the orchestra. “I loved working on such a theatrical piece this semester—I’m so excited for the kids that get to experience it for the first time!” commented principal second violinist Joey Driscoll ‘26.

Swarthmore Music featured artists Jasper String Quartet have worked with the Lab Orchestra all semester on the piece and will perform alongside them. “Working with the Jasper Quartet has been enriching and exciting—it has been a privilege to learn from and play alongside such experienced and insightful musicians!” Driscoll said.

Also on the program is Vivaldi’s Winter, conducted by Yixin Cui ‘25 and featuring violinist J Frievogel of the Jasper String Quartet as the soloist. About his first conducting experience Cui said, “This is the first time ever I’ve conducted an ensemble! Vivaldi's Winter is a great challenge for me as a conducting beginner . . . It is a very rewarding experience, and I had a good time working with everyone in the Lab Orchestra.”

“I’m so happy that we can host another family concert with the Lab Orchestra,” said Hauze. The child-friendly performance will take place on December 7th at 11 a.m. in Lang Concert Hall, and is free and open to the public. Whether seasoned concert-goers or totally new to classical music, kids and adults alike are sure to enjoy the Lab Orchestra’s exciting performance.