Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Santa Barbara County kids get chance to perform on stage with one of the world's most famous orchestras

Kids in the Music Academy of the West's "Sing!" program prepare for a Saturday concert in which they will perform with the London Symphony Orchestra.
KCLU
Kids in the Music Academy of the West's "Sing!" program prepare for a Saturday concert in which they will perform with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Children in Music Academy of the West's Sing! program are performing with the London Symphony Orchestra in Santa Barbara on Saturday.

Talk about pressure! 100 Santa Barbara County choral students will be performing this weekend, but it won’t be in an elementary school cafeteria. It will be at Santa Barbara’s Granada Theater.

And, they won’t be playing with a typical piano player. They will be accompanied by one of the world’s most famous orchestras, the London Symphony Orchestra.

The Music Academy of the West is hosting the London Symphony Orchestra as part of its 7th anniversary celebration. There was a traditional concert Thursday night.

On Sunday night, some of the Music Academy’s outstanding fellows will perform with the orchestra. But on Saturday, there will be a special family matinee, featuring the LSO and some children from the county’s schools.

Some of the students in the "Sing!" program who will be performing with the London Symphony Orchestra Saturday.
KCLU
Some of the students in the "Sing!" program who will be performing with the London Symphony Orchestra Saturday.

Erin McKibben heads the Music Academy’s Sing! Program for first through sixth grade students.

"Sing! is a place for absolutely any child in Santa Barbara County to come, and have a home in a choir, and sing their hearts out," said McKibben. "It is through the Music Academy of the West. We provide the choral directors, and site coordinators, and pianists."

But, she says it's a huge collaboration with schools.

There are six school sites, and about 140 kids participating. They come from about 30 schools. They also provide transportation to events at the Music Academy, which include singing, and then pizza parties for the kids.

Nata Duva says he’s ready to take the stage.

"I've kind of always liked singing." said the 11-year-old. "But, it (Saturday's concert) makes me a little nervous."

The London Symphony Orchestra’s How To Build An Orchestra concert takes place at 4 p.m. Saturday, at Santa Barbara’s Granada Theater.

Because the Music Academy is doing it as a community concert, tickets are just $10 for adults and free for kids who come with them.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.