Share your love of classical music with your children and grandchildren

future music lovers

Ars Viva teams up with the Music Institute of Chicago to announce a unique new program which makes classical music concerts a family activity – accessible to parents and beneficial to their children!

(Recommended for children ages 5 through 10)

Sign up now
or request information →
Questions?
Read the FAQ…

Here is How it Works

Girl with rattlesYou bring your children (or grandchildren) to our concerts and, after the orchestra has played the first piece, Maestro Heatherington will invite the children to go with the professional music educators from the Music Institute of Chicago to classrooms in the building. There they will be engaged in musical and educational activities related to the piece they have just heard. Your children can now go with you to Ars Viva concerts - NO baby sitters! They hear the orchestra and then have fun learning and experiencing classical music in an age-appropriate setting with highly skilled teachers while you continue to enjoy the concert.

Children attend the concert and experience the music education program for free. Adults will need to purchase tickets. The child's ticket will be complimentary or the child may sit in the parent's lap.

When you sign up, you will be contacted regarding program details and tickets. You may select a single concert or sign up for the whole season. An Ars Viva representative will give you all the details.

Sign up now
or request information →
Questions?
Read the FAQ…
 Mathias Vanderwerf

Ars Viva began this program in November at the season-opening concert. After the orchestra had performed Sibelius’ Finlandia, the children went to a conference room on the balcony level of the auditorium where they learned about Finlandia, Sibelius and his home country of Finland. They even had a surprise visit by Jean Sibelius himself and were able to interview him about his music and his life as a composer!