Let them eat candy!

This week The Orchestra of St. Luke's is playing a string of morning educational concerts for New York Public School students at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. (M11 to 125th, Bx15 to the theater, I'm there in 12 minutes.)

The response from the students is so enthusiastic, it's heartening. We start with the first movement of Beethoven 5 and after the opening call, there is an outcry from the audience each concert in anticipation and recognition. We play the Barber of Seville and the last movement of Mozart G-Minor before ending with Orpheus in the Underworld by Offenbach. The can-can receives screams and shouts and long applause. The students are then asked which of the four pieces they'd like to hear as an encore. There is a splattering of applause at the suggestions of Beethoven, Rossini, and Mozart, but the offer to play the Offenbach again elicits roars of approval! Who said kids don't like classical music?

And when it's this good, who could blame them for choosing candy?