Nearly 82% of PBS households can view adaptation of Prokofiev’s musical narrative for children
The Adventures of Peter and The Wolf, Palm Beach Symphony’s reimaging of Prokofiev’s Peter and The Wolf, will be broadcast on 249 PBS stations around the nation beginning this month.
Recorded in 2022 as part of the Dale A. McNulty Children’s Concert Series, the concert received its broadcast premiere last December on South Florida PBS. Nearly 82% of all PBS households will now be able to view the concert offered for broadcast by American Public Media through the Symphony’s partnership with South Florida PBS.
Maestro Gerard Schwarz, the Symphony’s music director, leads the Symphony in this new retelling created with his wife, musician and author Jody Schwarz. Their modern version, celebrating friendship, makes music the focus of the story and saves the duck from being devoured by the wolf.
Three-time GRAMMY® Award winner Jon Secada provides the concert’s narration which finds Peter, his grandfather, the bird, the duck, the cat and, of course, the wolf playing instruments and, ultimately, uniting despite their differences. The animals and characters come together for a magical performance of Prokofiev’s triumphal march in the town’s gazebo that delights the audience and creates lasting friendships.
The Adventures of Peter and the Wolf is the second program in the Dale A. McNulty Children’s Concert Series broadcast as part of the partnership following Eudora’s Fable: The Shoe Bird, which was nominated for two regional Emmy® Awards.
“Our partnership with South Florida PBS has allowed us to expand our commitment to education well beyond our immediate community,” said Palm Beach Symphony CEO David McClymont. “Jerry and Jody Schwarz’s adaptation, along with the infectious narration of Jon Secada, have created a piece that engages children in orchestral music. I am thrilled that more families, perhaps seeing a symphony for the first time together, will be able to enjoy it.”
A respected classical musician and conductor, Maestro Schwarz has received nine Emmy Awards, 14 GRAMMY nominations and eight ASCAP Awards. His extensive catalogue of more than 350 recordings on 11 labels includes “The Gerard Schwarz Collection,” a 30-CD box set. His memoir, “Behind the Baton,” was released by Amadeus Press in March 2017.
Jody Schwarz received her undergraduate and master’s degrees in music from The Juilliard School where she participated in the Lincoln Center Institute’s Chamber Music in the school’s program, performing hundreds of educational chamber concerts throughout New York City. Her work as a musician includes recording David Stock’s “A Vanished World” and Herman Berlinski’s “Sonata for Flute and Piano.” She received her MFA in writing from Sarah Lawrence College and is currently working on a novel.
One of the first bilingual artists to achieve world-wide crossover success, Secada has received three GRAMMY Awards, sold 20 million albums and starred on Broadway. In addition to his hits including “Angel, I’m Free,” and “Do You Believe In Us,” he has produced and written chart toppers for others including co-writing “Coming Out of the Dark” for Gloria Estefan and writing “She’s All I Ever Had” for Ricky Martin.
The Palm Beach Symphony’s education programs are made possible through support from The Paul and Sandra Goldner Conservatory of Music, Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, The McNulty Charitable Foundation, James R. Borynack and Adolfo Zaralegui / FINDLAY Galleries, Mr. William Robertson, The Rickel Foundation, James H. and Marta T. Batmasian Family Foundation, Florida Power & Light, Edith Hall Friedheim/Eric Friedheim Foundation, Inc., Walter Harper, The Spoto Family Fund, The Harry T. Mangurian, Jr. Foundation Inc., Lois Pope, Peter and Felicia Gottsegen/The Gottsegen Family Foundation, and Yvonne S. Boice Trust and Alfred Zucaro.
Proud sponsors of Palm Beach Symphony include The Rocco A. and Mary Abessinio Foundation, Cindy Anderson and Jerome Canty, Max and Christine Ansbacher, Jon and Pat Baker, Mrs. James N. Bay, Alan Benaroya, Grace Bender/Dorothy G. Bender Foundation, Arthur & Mara Benjamin Foundation, JoAnne Berkow, Kathy Lee Bickham and John Bickham, Leslie Rogers Blum, Yvonne S. Boice Trust and Alfred Zucaro, Jeffrey and Tina Bolton, James R. Borynack and Adolfo Zaralegui / FINDLAY Galleries, Braman Motorcars, Thomas and Carol Bruce, CIBC Private Wealth, Amy and John Collins, The Colony Hotel, CORPGOV, Suzanne Mott Dansby, The David Minkin Foundation, The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, Willard H. Dow and Kelly Winter, Dr. Richard and Diane Farber, Bill and Kem Frick/The Frick Foundation, Inc., Gerry Gibian and Marjorie Yashar, Morgan Glazar/Tom James Company, Paul and Sandra Goldner, Douglas and Jo Gressette, Steel Grove Capital, Irwin and Janet Gusman, Walter Harper, Thomas E. Harvey & Cathleen P. Black Foundation, Doris Hastings Foundation, Carol S. and Joseph Andrew Hays, John Herrick, Addison Hines Charitable Trust, George Hines, HSS Florida, IPO Edge, Charles and Ann Johnson/The C and A Johnson Family Foundation, Elaine Kay, Leonard and Norma Klorfine Foundation, The Kovner Foundation, Gary and Linda Lachman/The Lachman Family Foundation, Patricia Lambrecht/The Lambrecht Family Foundation, Tova Leidesdorf, Lugano Diamonds, The Honorable Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, The McNulty Charitable Foundation, Tish Messinger, David Moscow, NetJets, Palm Beach Design Masters, Patrick and Milly Park/The Park Foundation, Nancy and Ellis J. Parker, III, PNC Private Bank, Lois Pope, Provident Jewelry, Ari Rifkin/The Len-Ari Foundation, Dr. Martha Rodriguez and Dr. Jesus Perez-Mendez, Annette Urso Rickel Foundation, Karen Rogers, Ronald Rosenfeld, David Schafer, Seth Sprague Foundation, Robin B. Smith, Kimberly V. Strauss, Dodie and Manley Thaler and the Thaler/Howell Foundation, Don and Mary Thompson, Jerome and Carol Trautschold, Sieglinde Wikstrom/The Wikstrom Foundation, and The Ann Eden Woodward Foundation/James and Judy Woods. Programs are also sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Florida, the Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.
ABOUT PALM BEACH SYMPHONY
Palm Beach Symphony is South Florida’s premier orchestra known for its diverse repertoire and commitment to community. Founded in 1974, this 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization adheres to a mission of engaging, educating, and entertaining the greater community of the Palm Beaches through live performances of inspiring orchestral music under the direction of its Music Director Gerard Schwarz. The orchestra is celebrated for delivering spirited performances by first-rate musicians and distinguished guest artists. Recognized by The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County with a 2020 Muse Award for Outstanding Community Engagement, Palm Beach Symphony continues to expand its education and community outreach programs with children’s concerts, student coaching sessions and master classes, instrument donations and free public concerts. For more information, visit www.palmbeachsymphony.org.
