Cache of the Day - Meet The Instruments

Face the music at WonderLab this weekend
Meet the Instruments a two-day affair this year

By Andy Graham 331-4346 | agraham@heraldt.com
November 16, 2007
Watch a kid pick up a musical instrument for the first time and make a sound with it, then watch their eyes grow wide.
Everybody can see a whole lot of that this weekend as Bloomington’s WonderLab museum hosts the annual Meet the Instruments event.
For the first time, it’s a two-day affair. Saturday’s programming will focus on symphonic and jazz music, while Sunday will feature world and old-time music.
“This is our third year we’ve been privileged to host the event, and each year we’ve expanded the program,” WonderLab marketing director Louise Schlesinger said. “It started out with the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, then we added other groups and, now, it’s a two-day festival. We have so much musical talent in so many genres in this town, and it’s wonderful to be able to draw on that.”

Bloomington Symphony personnel will have their instruments on hand as Saturday’s schedule kicks off with a 10 a.m.-till-noon session. Josh Grekin’s Little Bands School program will showcase young jazz musicians in the afternoon.
Traditional American tunes will hold sway Sunday as the Hoosier Hotcakes play from 1 to 2 p.m. Dmitri Vietze of Bloomington’s Rock Paper Scissors world music agency will follow by showcasing world music forms and their wide array of instruments.
Both days, attendees will be able to take advantage of interactive music/science activity stations, create their own instruments, try out some unusual soundmakers and explore WonderLab’s “Science of Sound” exhibits.

Regular museum admission serves as admission to all this weekend’s events. WonderLab’s general admission is $5.50 for children, $6.50 for adults and $6 for seniors. Museum members and children younger than 1 are free. WonderLab is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.
WHAT: Meet the Instruments, the annual event helping young people experience a wide variety of musical instruments, up close and personal, including the classical instruments of the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra.

WHERE: WonderLab, 308 W. Fourth St., Bloomington.