The Louisville Free Public Library and the Louisville Orchestra are pleased to announce the fourth season of the collaborative project “Once Upon An Orchestra.” Public performances begin on Tuesday, October 1 at the Western Library and will tour to all LFPL locations through March 2025. The complete schedule is listed below.
Presented free, each branch will host one of six different, unique family programs that weave music and storytelling together in an interactive experience. Louisville Orchestra musicians perform original music created around familiar and beloved children’s books. The hour-long experiences include a 30-minute small ensemble performance preceded by a hands-on activity to build a musical instrument from recycled materials, so everyone can play along.
For “Once Upon An Orchestra,” composers from the LO Creators Corps have developed original musical scores to accompany a number of beloved children’s books, including Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. In addition, this year’s series features two new composition – Laura Numeroff’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson.
The musically enhanced storytelling leans into one of the key programs of the LFPL, the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge. This Library program encourages all families and caregivers to read at least 1000 books with their preschool-age children to build the vocabulary and language skills needed for success in school.
Co-presented by the Louisville Orchestra and the Louisville Free Public Library, “Once Upon An Orchestra” is funded with support from Louisville Metro Government. For more information, including the complete schedule, please visit LFPL.org/orchestra, contact your local LFPL branch, or call the Louisville Orchestra at (502) 587-8681.
2024-25 “Once Upon An Orchestra” Schedule
- Tuesday, October 1, 2024 2:00 PM Western Library Bear Snores On
- Wednesday, October 9 10:30 AM Middletown Library The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Thursday, October 10 10:15 AM Highlands-Shelby Park Library Bear Snores On
- Wednesday, November 6 6:00 PM Main Library If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
- Thursday, November 7 6:30 PM Northeast Regional Library If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
- Thursday, November 21 12:00 PM Shively Library Llama Destroys the World
- Saturday, November 23 11:00 AM Newburg Library Llama Destroys the World
- Wednesday, December 11 10:30 AM Fairdale Library Bunny's Book Club
- Thursday, December 12 10:30 AM Bon Air Library Bunny's Book Club
- Saturday, January 11, 2025 10:30 AM Iroquois Library Bear Snores On
- Saturday, February 8 2:00 PM St. Matthews Library The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Saturday, February 15 2:00 PM South Central Regional Library The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Thursday, February 20 6:00 PM Shawnee Library Llama Destroys the World
- Wednesday, March 19 11:00 AM Southwest Regional Library If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
- Tuesday, March 25 10:30 AM Crescent Hill Library The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- Saturday, March 29 10:30 AM Jeffersontown Library Bunny's Book Club
