Join the Palm Beach Symphany and Maestro Gerald Schwartz as they embark on a newly imagine version of Sergei Prokofiev musical masterpiece Peter and the Wolf narrated by acclaimed singer Jon Secada This up lifting tale follows Peter his Grandfather the bird the duck the cat and of course the wolf as they all play their instruments and unite dispite their differences - [Announcer] This program is brought to you in part by Paul and Sandra Goldner.

(audience applauding) - The Adventures of Peter and the Wolf begins right now.

Ready, maestro?

(orchestra playing) One morning, a young boy named Peter set off from his grandfather's house on the grassy path, hoping to make new friends by playing his favorite melody by Prokofiev on his brand new violin.

(orchestra playing) When Peter opened the gate onto the great meadow and pond, music echoed around him growing louder and louder, however, no one was playing together.

In fact, it sounded more like noise than music.

(orchestra playing) Peter clapped his hands over his ears, and he wondered why the musicians couldn't find a way to play beautifully together.

When he approached a towering oak tree, a bird perched on a very high branch waved a silvery flute at him and then played a spectacular melody, and Peter was mesmerized.

(flute playing) Suddenly the bird stopped and stared down at him.

"Are you Peter?"

Peter looked up, "Yes, but how did you know my name?"

"Why, I know your grandfather.

He tells me everything."

The bird swooped down onto Peter's shoulder, tickling his face with its wing.

"I'm Bertha the Bird", she said.

"I play the flute better than anyone else in the whole entire world."

Peter's eyebrows rose, "The whole entire world?"

"Yes, absolutely", said Bertha, fluttering her wings in front of Peter's face.

(flute playing) "Don't you agree, I sound fabulous, Peter?"

Peter nodded.

"Do you know why I sound so great?

", Bertha asked.

Peter shrugged.

"It's because I practice long tones every day.

They make my sound buttery beautiful.

Sometimes I play them loud or forte."

(strong flute note) "And sometimes I play them soft or piano."

(soft flute note) Bertha tucked her flute under one wing and floated back up into her branch.

She waved her flute at Peter and said, "See you soon, Peter."

Peter waved to Bertha and headed to the pond, where a golden color duck glided along the water, warbling out a soulful melody on an oboe.

(oboes playing) The duck swam to the edge of the pond and angled her beak at Peter.

"My name is Delilah the Duck, and in case you missed it, I play the oboe."

"Are you also the greatest oboist in the whole entire world?"

Peter asked.

Oh, Delilah flittered her feathers.

"It sounds like you've been talking to someone I know, my colleague, Bertha the Bird.

Did she tell you she was the greatest flutist in the whole entire world?"

"Why, yes she did", said Peter.

"Well, bragging is not for me", Delilah said, wiggling her wet feet.

"But I do take my elbow rather seriously, especially making my own reeds."

Delilah quacked on one of her reeds.

(reed squeaking) Delilah waddled out of the water onto a big rock.

"You see Peter", she said, holding up one of her reeds, "a perfectly-made read is the key to my big, round sound."

Delilah settled her glasses on her beak.

Nearby a velvety black cat tiptoed along the bank of the pond, and he was playing a sneaky melody on his black clarinet.

(clarinet and bass accompaniment) The cat circled the oak tree, his eyes glued to Bertha the Bird, still perched on her branch.

When he stopped, he purred at Peter.

"Hey, man, I'm Charlie the Cat.

I'm the coolest clarinet player in the whole entire world."

Peter had heard that before.

Charlie said, "I love melodies like the one I just played, but I also love harmony."

"What's harmony?"

Peter asked.

"Harmony is when instruments play different notes together, and it sounds pretty cool."

Charlie the Cat looked up, "Hey, Bertha, would you play a C on your flute and hold it?"

(flute note) He faced Peter.

"Now, Peter, you play an E and you hold it."

(violin note) "Now I'll play the G and we will have one awesome C major chord."

(clarinet note) "Oh, that is very cool", said Peter.

Charlie beamed, "Yeah, that's cool.

But what's cooler is eating birds, especially that one."

(orchestra playing) Charlie pointed his paw up at Bertha.

"One day, she'll be my best meal ever."

"Fat chance", Bertha blared.

"I'll fly way too fast to be caught."

Peter, gazed up at Bertha, then down at Charlie and hoped she was right.

Suddenly grandfather played his bassoon melody, a warning to Peter.

(orchestra playing) "Come inside the gate, Peter", grandfather called, "where you're safe from the wolf.

He's always lurking."

After Peter scurried up the metal and inside the gate, the wolf's sharp white teeth glistened through the trees.

The wolf lifted his french horn and played an ominous melody, which resonated throughout the meadow.

(orchestra playing) Grandfather called out, "See Peter, always beware of the wolf."

"The wolf frightens me, grandfather."

The wolf inched forward, paused at the gate and snarled at Peter, "Hey, nobody calls me the wolf.

I have a name.

It's Willie, okay."

Peter nodded, his legs trembling.

He lifted his violin and played, his bow shaky.

(violins tinkling) Willie crept toward the pond.

Delilah was still on the rock with her sandpaper and reeds, oblivious to Willie's advances.

Peter shouted, "Delilah, the wolf!"

(orchestra playing) Startled, Delilah scrambled her reeds and sandpaper into her tiny backpack, but Delilah was the slowest waddler.

Bertha dashed down to help, playing any melody she could.

(orchestra playing) Bertha stopped and shouted, "Delilah stop waddling and swim."

Delilah scampered into the pond, splashing and swimming as fast as she could, but Willie was faster.

(dramatic orchestra) He snapped his jaw and snatched one of Delilah's prettiest golden feathers.

Delilah yelled back, "Willie, you're so mean, but one feather won't hurt me."

Willie growled, "One day, I'll eat the rest of you in one gulp, Delilah.

Don't you worry."

"Oh, I'm not worried, Willie, because that will never happen."

Willie's smug look was short lived when the hunters appeared looking for Willie.

They played their giant bass drum in timpani.

(orchestra playing) Peter and grandfather stayed safe behind the gate while the hunters marched toward Willie.

(orchestra marching) Willie crouched and darted around the pond, back into the woods, out of the hunters' reach.

Meanwhile, Delilah treaded safely back to the middle of the pond.

Bertha hovered on a higher branch, and Charlie the Cat squeezed through a slat in the gate to the side of grandfather's house.

Peter breathed a sigh of relief that no one was hurt.

Grandfather hugged Peter, "Everyone is safe."

"Yes, grandfather, but I don't understand why the animals in your town play so well, but they never seem to play together.

Would you play a duet with me to show them how to do it?"

"Of course", said grandfather.

Together, Peter and grandfather set two music stands on the front porch, one on each side, and they played a delightful duet.

(violin and bassoon playing) Soon Bertha sailed down, flapping her flute over Peter's head while staring at the music.

Peter and grandfather nodded for her to join in and play with them, and she did.

Their duet of two became a trio for three.

(violin, flute, and bassoon playing) Hearing this and not to be outdone, Delilah waddled out of the pond, waving her oboe.

She shimmied through the gate onto the porch, her eyes bulging at the music.

Again, Peter and grandfather motioned for her to join them.

Delilah did, and now their trio of three became a quartet for four.

(violin, flute, bassoon, and oboe playing) Here in the quartet, Cool Cat Charlie, pawed his way from the side of the house, his clarinet hooked on his collar, his eyes following Bertha's every flutter.

When Charlie stopped right under Bertha, Bertha flew onto grandfather's shoulder for safety.

Peter elbowed Charlie to join them, and he too played.

Now their quartet of four became a quintet for five.

(violin, flute, oboe, bassoon, and clarinet playing) Suddenly sly Willie creeped along outside the fence, salivating at Delilah, his drool dribbling down his french horn.

Delilah scooted away from him alongside Peter.

Willie squinted to see the music from afar.

Now, Peter and grandfather gestured for Willie to join them, and he too played along from outside the fence, of course.

Now their quintet of five became a sextet for six.

(sextet symphony playing) Once the hunters heard the blare of Willie's french horn, they arrived at the gate to save the day, only to find everyone playing all together.

They stood beside Willie with their drums, waiting to be included.

Peter and grandfather turned and urged them to join in too.

First the snare drum played, making their sextet of six, a septet for seven instruments.

(septet orchestra playing) Then the timpani played making an octet for eight.

(octet orchestra playing) Peter said, "That is the greatest sounding chamber group.

How would everyone feel about playing in a even bigger group?"

Everyone cheered, "How big, Peter?"

"Super big, huge."

Yay, they shouted, yay, that's right.

"How about we make a symphony orchestra for our town?"

said Peter.

Bertha the Bird, flap her wings over Peter's head.

"What is a symphony orchestra, Peter?"

"A symphony orchestra is a large group of musicians who gather together and play orchestra music for an audience."

Everyone oohed and ahhed, their eyes almost as big as Willie's.

Peter said, "we will get the word out that everyone in town is welcome to join us to either play in our symphony orchestra or be a member of the audience.

That way the whole community can be together for a concert under the large white gazebo in the center of town."

Everyone belted out, yays and yeses, and the hunters rejoiced, hallelujah!

Bertha landed on Peter's shoulder, her favorite spot, and pointed her wing at him.

"Uh, I will need to play a solo during the concert, Peter."

Delilah chimed in, "I need a solo also, Peter."

Cool Cat Charlie said, "Don't forget me, Pete."

From the other side of the fence, Willie played a horn call, then flashed his fangs.

"I need a solo too."

(french horn droning) Peter shushed everyone.

"Everyone can have a solo in an orchestra and also play together as well?"

Charlie said, "Well, playing together is lots of harmony, Pete."

"Exactly, Charlie", Delilah interrupted.

"That all sounds great, Peter, but how do you expect me to sit on the same stage as Willie when all he wants is to eat me for lunch?"

Good point, Delilah, "Bertha chirped.

I can't sit next to Charlie either.

He wants me next to his eggs for breakfast."

"Yikes", said Peter, "I see the problem."

Peter quieted everyone.

"What if grandfather and I prepare a special meal, a grand buffet of everyone's favorite foods to eat before the concert?

Then might you be full enough not to eat your friends and play together as colleagues?"

Charlie said, "Well, if I'm full when we start, I guess I can do it, Pete."

Willie said, it will take tons of food, but if I'm super full, I'll be good."

Grandfather placed his arm around Peter.

Peter and I promise to make plenty of food.

Willie tooted his horn and said, "Looking forward to the buffet."

The hunters said yes and yes, like drums beating.

(orchestra playing) The next day was warm and breezy.

The long buffet table by the gazebo brimmed over with goodies for everyone.

Platters of vegetables and dips and chips, cheeses and crackers, pineapple, grapes, cherries and peaches, a big warm bowl of macaroni and cheese, a tray of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, piled high, a cheesy vegetarian lasagna, and a vegan gluten-free casserole.

All the animals and the townspeople flocked to the table and ate heartedly.

Delilah kept her distance, but monitored Willie's every bite.

When he finally stopped eating and licked his lips, Delilah nudged Peter.

Peter leaned over to Willie, "Are you full yet, Willie?"

Willie rubbed his belly with his paw, "Plenty full now, Peter."

Peter encouraged everyone onto the stage, where they gathered under the white gazebo with their instruments, their music and their music stands.

Many townspeople and other animals who played instruments joined them on stage as well.

When everyone settled, the mayor, baton in hand, stepped up onto the podium, donned his tails, and said, "As the mayor of our fine town, I am delighted to conduct this most auspicious orchestra of fine and diverse musicians.

Let the concert begin."

He faced the orchestra, slicked back his hair, extended his arms, and gave a giant downbeat with his thinly carved baton.

(orchestra playing) The musicians play from deep within their hearts, with elegance, beauty, grace, and strength.

The audience swayed to the music like they were dancers.

Every musician joined in composer Sergei Prokofiev's "Triumphal March" from Peter and the Wolf.

(orchestra playing) At the conclusion, the musicians held their instruments high in the air and the audience went wild, clapping and cheering, "Bravo, bravo, bravo!"

The mayor motioned for everyone on the stage to stand and take a bow together.

Never before had so many different kinds of people and animals, including a wolf, come together as friends and colleagues to create beautiful music for their community.

In the orchestra, they each had their unique moments to shine with their solos.

But collectively, they had crafted a magnificent whole, bold and blended beyond what they could have ever, ever imagined.

Music had united them in a common language, a language that would connect them, despite their differences, forevermore.

Certainly now, Bertha, Delilah, Charlie, Willie, The Hunters, grandfather, and Peter were now friends, who accepted each others' differences and never considered eating each other ever again.

They would remember this inaugural concert with great pride, and they promised each other and the town it would happen again, again, and again.

Of course, with food before.

(orchestra playing) (dramatic orchestra playing) Until we meet again for more music.

- [Announcer] This program is brought to you in part by Paul and Sandra Goldner.

(music) (upbeat music) (uplifting music)