Students enjoyed a fun and educational concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. (photo by Jamie Pham)

The annual Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts Youth Concert on Feb. 1 welcomed 3,900 fourth-grade students from Pasadena schools to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Presented with the LA Phil, the free youth concert uses musical concepts, humor, dancers and education to create an engaging program for students. Since its inception in 1953, more than 250,000 fourth-graders have participated in the program.

Igor Stravinsky’s 1919 version of “The Firebird Suite,” based on a classic Russian folktale, as performed. It tells the story of a handsome prince, his beautiful princess and a magical bird that saves them from evil. Dudamel conducting fellow Rodolfo Barraez, led the performance. Each student received a program with lessons in the form of games and puzzles, and teachers were provided materials to supplement classroom learning.

For many students, it was the first opportunity to experience the Walt Disney Concert Hall’s architecture, and their first exposure to classical symphonic music in a world-class concert hall.

“We were thrilled to once again bring thousands of local youth to this treasured music venue,” youth concert chair Helen Gipson said. “Seeing nearly 100 school buses lined up outside Walt Disney Concert Hall is a welcome sight after a two-year hiatus (due to the pandemic).”

Pasadena Showcase President Vikki Sung praised the LA Phil for its continued partnership.

“The LA Phil has been a part of Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts since our inception in 1948 as the Pasadena Junior Philharmonic Committee,” Sung said. “It is a joy for our members to celebrate 75 years of supporting the LA Phil, its learning programs and our shared mission of extending access to music and the arts throughout Southern California.”

The Youth Concert is funded by the annual Pasadena Showcase House of Design, with additional support from the Green Foundation. For information, visit pasadenashowcase.org.