The Runaway Bunny in Concert

Description

On Saturday, April 14 at 11 am, new life will be breathed into a classic children’s book. The Saint Michael Quartet will perform an updated version of composer Glen Roven’s musical adaptation of the book The Runaway Bunny. Also participating will be Montalvo Executive Director Angela McConnell, who will narrate the performance. The show is presented as part of Montalvo’s Family Performing Arts Series.

A touching allegory of the boundless love mothers have for their children, The Runaway Bunny is one of the most popular picture books of all time. Originally written in 1942 by prolific author Margaret Wise Brown—who also wrote the classic Goodnight Moon—it tells the story of a restless baby rabbit who wants to run away, and his mother who assures him that no matter how far he goes or how elaborately he disguises himself, he will always be her little bunny. The Runaway Bunny has been continuously in print for the past 70 years, and has been translated into 23 different languages, including Japanese, Hebrew, and French.

Drawing inspiration from Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, four-time Emmy-winning composer Glen Roven decided to create a classical music adaptation of The Runaway Bunny,

featuring a full orchestra, solo violin, and narrator. The piece, which was recorded in 2005 for the Sony/BMG label by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Brooke Shields as narrator, made its Carnegie Hall premier in 2008. It has since been performed at venues all over the United States and Canada. Now, Roven has reworked the piece for piano trio, giving it what he has described as “a fresh, contemporary feeling.” The upcoming performance at Montalvo will be the debut of the modified composition.

The Saint Michael Trio, which will perform Roven’s brand new arrangement, is a nationally renowned, locally based chamber recital group. Members Russell Hancock, Daniel Cher, and Michel Flexer are each highly accomplished musicians who balance their passion for classical music with demanding day-jobs in Silicon Valley: Hancock is President and CEO of a nonprofit economic advocacy and analysis group; Cher is a medical doctor and scientific researcher; and Flexer is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur. In addition to virtuoso musical ability, the group is best known for engaging performances blending lighthearted humor with serious education.

Angela McConnell has been Executive Director of Montalvo since 2008. Her arrival has corresponded with a period of renewed purpose and ambitious expansion for the institution. A mother of three, she fondly recalls reading The Runaway Bunny to her children when they were small. She looks forward to bringing the story to life for new audiences.

More Info

Link

http://www.montalvoarts.org

Call

408-961-5858 (Box Office)