Raccoon Tune Concert

Here's Josh Penman, composer and performer of the symphony piece Raccoon Tune, with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra in yesterday's family concert.  Josh and two raccoon-masked percussionists marched down the aisle playing trash-can lids to start the tale of intrepid foraging, which leads to a frantic chase and ends with a triumphant feast of fish.

Josh writes that he was inspired by Howard Fine's artwork for my story: "This comes right from the cover of the book, where you can see three raccoons singing and banging on trash cans. How could I possibly resist that?"

The A2SO also played selections from The Lion King; and Saint-Saens's  Carnival of the Animals, featuring pianists Elizabeth and Sonya Schumann. Poets from Ann Arbor's Neutral Zone VOLUME Poetry Project recited verses they had written to accompany the Carnival music.

Thanks to the A2SO for bringing fresh creations from our community to the Michigan Theater and for playing so well!