WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (March 5, 2015) – The Winston-Salem Symphony is presenting a Discovery Concert for Kids on Sunday, March 22, 2015 at 3 p.m. featuring the dynamic organ/drum duo, the Sugar Free Allstars. The concert, entitled “Get Up and Groove!,” will take place at Reynolds Auditorium at 301 N. Hawthorne Road in Winston-Salem.
Stephen Mulligan, Assistant Conductor of the Winston-Salem Symphony, will conduct the symphony and the Sugar Free Allstars, the purveyors of Family Funk, in a program of rollicking, funky, and fun songs. The Sugar Free Allstars’ All About Bullies Big and Small won the 2012 Grammy for Best Children’s Album. Songs that will be performed at “Get Up and Groove!” include Banana Pudding, 6th Grade Band, Disco Dance, Gotta Get Up, Teddy, and Train Beat. “This concert is sure to be great fun for our young audience,” said Maestro Mulligan.
Attendees at “Get Up and Groove!” may donate a new Teddy Bear, with tags still on it, to Wake Forest Baptist Health Brenner Children’s Hospital. Donated bears are given to children who are patients at Brenner Children’s Hospital and could use a bear to brighten their day.
As always, the doors will open at 2 p.m., an hour before performance time, for a variety of child-friendly pre-concert events including the chance to vote for a name for the new Discovery Series Mascot. Guests will have the opportunity to take part in a rock star puppet craft activity, enjoy a model train activity, take part in a drum circle, and more! As always, they also will be able to hold, play, and learn about instruments at an instrument petting zoo. Pre-concert activities are included in the price of the concert ticket. Discovery Concert for Kids pre-concert activities partners include Wake Forest Baptist Health Brenner Children’s Hospital, the Children’s Museum of Winston-Salem, the Forsyth County Board of Elections, Piedmont Triad Model Railroaders Club, and Tam Tam Mandingue.
Single tickets for “Get Up and Groove!” are $7 for children, ages three to 12 (age two and under, free) and $18 for adults. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Symphony Box Office at 336.464.0145 or online at WSsymphony.org.
This concert and the Winston-Salem Symphony are sponsored by Discovery Concerts for Kids Presenting Sponsor Wake Forest Baptist Health Brenner Children’s Hospital and Discovery Concerts for Kids Founder Jeanne Hill, as well as by the Arts Council of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County and the North Carolina Arts Council.
About the Sugar Free Allstars
Chris “Boom!” Wiser (Hammond B-3 organ, lead vocals, saxophone) and Rob “Dr. Rock” Martin (drums, backing vocals) make up the dynamic duo of Sugar Free Allstars. With their diverse musical influences and unusual instrumentation, this funky organ/drum duo from Oklahoma City can be hard to classify. The music blends New Orleans funk, Memphis soul and Hammond organ-drenched gospel, wrapped in a colorful rock and roll package. Add to the mix a touch of pop songwriting sensibilities, humor, and a high-energy live show and you’ve got the Sugar Free Allstars. “We try to provide a good mix of humor and a tight performance,” explains Wiser. “Even in our kids’ shows, it’s meant to be a rock and roll party for all ages.”
Over the past five years the band has released three family-music albums, the most recent being 2012’s All On A Sunday Afternoon. This album, along with 2010’s Funky Fresh and Sugar Free and 2007’s Dos Ninos, has helped solidify Sugar Free Allstars’ place in the children’s music scene as purveyors of Family Funk. They have also garnered national critical acclaim and accolades such as mentions in Time, People and Parents magazines, starred reviews in School Library Journal, two #1 hits on SiriusXM’s Kid’s Place Live, a National Parenting Publication Awards (NAPPA) Gold Award, airplay on the #1 NPR show Car Talk, and inclusion of a song on the anti-bullying compilation All About Bullies Big and Small, which won the 2012 Grammy® for Best Children’s Album.
About the Winston-Salem Symphony
The Winston-Salem Symphony, now performing its 68th season, is one of the Southeast’s most highly regarded regional orchestras. This season also marks Maestro Robert Moody’s 10th Anniversary with the Symphony. Under the baton of Music Director Moody, its performance season includes a classics series, a pops series, concerts for kids, annual performances of Handel’s Messiah, a concert featuring Winston-Salem Symphony and Youth Symphony musicians, holiday concerts, three youth orchestra ensembles, and a multitude of educational and community engagement programs. For more information visit WSsymphony.org
