The Folsom Symphony has added a specially priced concert this season that's fun and affordable for families with kids. Family Concert: Connections@Symphony, October 3 at 11 a.m., is the perfect introduction to classical music and the experience of an elegant concert hall.

The program includes an hour of music in the Harris Center/Three Stages theater followed by a hands-on instrument "petting zoo" in the lobby. Maestro Peter Jaffe will conduct.

This low-cost concert – adults $12, students $8 – is offered as part of the symphony's commitment to extend music education and appreciation more broadly in the community. It was made possible by the generous donations to last year's Evening Under the Stars Gala.

The pieces for this one-hour performance showcase the wonderful rhythms, melodies, harmonies and symphonic textures of orchestral fare, with a special emphasis on their relationship to academic fields of interest. The "instrument petting zoo" after the concert will give audience members the chance to try out real instruments under the guidance of symphony musicians.

 The repertoire was selected to appeal to all ages:

• Aaron Copland’s "Fanfare for the Common Man": Inspired by a 1942 speech by Vice President Henry A. Wallace proclaiming the dawning of the "Century of the Common Man," this piece celebrates history. It is widely performed in films and ceremonies, including the opening of the Scottish Parliament Building in Edinburgh and President Obama's inauguration celebration at the Lincoln Memorial.
• Sergei Prokofiev’s "Montagues and Capulets" from Romeo and Juliet: A classical work in a loose three-part musical form that captures Shakespeare's most famous couple with a dynamic range of moods and harmonies, this piece connects music to literature
• Georges Bizet’s "Danse boheme" from Carmen: The rhythms and themes in this gypsy dance – starting quietly and ending breathtakingly – are related to mathematical patterns.
• Ary Barosso’s "Brazil (Aquarela do Brasil)": The worldwide success of this famous Brazilian tune, including a spot in the 1942 Walt Disney film "Saludos Amigos," leads to a fine geography lesson.
• John Williams’ "Olympic Fanfare and Theme": You’ll relive the thrill of the world’sfinest athletic performances as you listen to this familiar but always stirring music.
• Musorgsky/Ravel’s "Baba Yaga and the Great Gate" from Pictures at an Exhibition: Modest Musorgsky based the music on drawings and watercolors by his friend, artist Viktor Hartmann; Maurice Ravel's arrangement is the most frequently performed version.

The ticket prices include all Harris Center fees, and students must present IDs. There are no assigned seats for this performance. Tickets are available on the Folsom Symphony website, folsomsymphony.com, by calling 916-608-6888 or by visiting the Harris Center ticket office at 10 College Parkway, Folsom.

Post information and picture courtesy of Folsom Symphony.