Bravo! Vail allows youth to get closer to the music with the Presto Club

Just because school is out doesn’t mean that the learning has to stop. Bravo! Vail Music Festival is providing several educational opportunities throughout its 38th season. From Little Listeners at the Library for the very young fans of music to pre-concert talks for music fans of any age, education and engagement is a huge focal point for Bravo! Vail Music Festival.

One program that is geared toward older youth is the Presto Club. Designed for those 8-14, the Presto Club will host pre-and post-concert events along with social gatherings on the lawn during the orchestral series.

“I remember attending concerts as a young child wanting to know who else thought this music was amazing,” said Aileen Pagán-Rohwer, senior director of education and enrichment at Bravo! Vail. “Presto Club is an answer to creating an experience for students to get to know others, learn more about classical music and its relationship to the world around us through art, listening, reading, meeting professional musicians and yes, enjoying a picnic dinner. We think of it as a dreamy event for young students.” 

Presto Club was introduced in 2023. This is its third summer as a program within concert attendance at Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater concerts during the Bravo! Vail season. Parents, you get to sit back and enjoy the Bravo! Vail performance that evening while your child gets to hang out with other kids who love music and are learning while having fun.

“Developmentally, ages 8-14 is the range that kids start looking out to the world to see where they fit in and how they can contribute. They want to be around a friend group, doing what their friends are doing and learning more from adult mentors as opposed to their parents,” Pagán-Rohwer said. “We are giving them an opportunity to engage with others in their age group, experience the phenomenal effects of live music, and create memories to last a lifetime.” 

Support Local Journalism

Donate

And, parents, you might even be a little envious of some of the experiences your kids get to have, like meeting artists after the performances.

“The proof is in the pictures to see how excited Presto Club attendees are when they meet a musician who just performed on stage. These young audiences are able to interact with guest artists in a real-world setting where they get to connect with their music and the artist themselves at intermission or after the concert,” Pagán-Rohwer said. “There’s something special about being able to meet the artist you just saw perform that connects you more deeply with your experience at Bravo! Vail.”

The Presto Club attendance varies from concert to concert but are predominantly youth that are involved in Bravo! Vail educational programs during the academic year. Though there is an increasing number of families learning about the program and wanting to get involved. Bravo! Vail has expanded its offerings during the summer to allow for increased participation, as well. Music Makers Hacienda Música is an after-school program teaching piano, violin and chamber ensemble classes across Eagle and Lake counties to over 300 students in second through tenth grades. Bravo! Vail also hosts the Young Musicians Summit that brings together classical music organizations with Music Makers Hacienda Música. The Summer Intensive offers developing and advanced young string and piano students the opportunity to continue their education during the summer.

One cool perk about the Pesto Club is the Activity Booklet that each participant will get and will bring to each concert. Here, the information about the artists is brought about in a kid-friendly level, gleaning information from places like KidsBritannica.com and ClassicsForKids.com. Did you know that Johannes Brahms was only 15 when he gave his first formal recital? Or, that Amy Beach has composed three waltzes for piano by age four? Tchaikovsky was only five when he started taking piano lessons and was soon better than his teacher. Fun facts, word finds, coloring and more can be found in this interactive booklet.

Throughout the festival’s season, which goes from June 19 through July 31, Bravo! Vail offers more than 25 free concerts in the Eagle and Lake County communities, featuring emerging artists and musicians from visiting orchestras and ensembles. These accessible programs are at the heart of Bravo! Vail’s mission to provide extensive music education throughout the community, ensuring everyone can enjoy high-quality classical music and educational opportunities in their own towns.

Here is the schedule of concerts where the Presto Club will be having events:

• June 19 – Chamber Orchestra of Europe – Bronfman Plays Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1
• June 21 – Chamber Orchestra of Europe – Brahms Double Concerto
• June 28 – Dallas Symphony Orchestra – Elgar Enigma Variations
• July 1 – Dallas Symphony Orchestra – Beethoven Symphony No. 7
• July 6 – The Philadelphia Orchestra – Mozart Violin Concerto
• July 7 –  The Philadelphia Orchestra – Alsop Conducts Shostakovich
• July 10 – The Philadelphia Orchestra –Vivaldi The Four Seasons
• July 16 – New York Philharmonic – Stravinsky Violin Concerto
• July 22 – New York Philharmonic – Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 Pathetique

Parents must be at the concert as well in case of an emergency and kids can be reunited with their parents either at intermission or after the concert or after a meet-and-great after the concert. A list of things parents and kids need to know can be found at BravoVail.org.

Other events that are fun for the whole family include the Sinfonica de Mineria concert on June 26. The town of Avon and the Eagle Valley Community Foundation and its programs are partnering up to host a Community Fair at 4 p.m. in Nottingham Park followed by the concert. This event will be a vibrant celebration of Hispanic and Latin works performed by Sinfonica de Mineria, who are known internationally to throw quite a bit of vibrancy and flair into the performances.