CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

Remember how much fun Choose Your Own Adventure books were when you were young? Well, Darwin Symphony Orchestra (DSO) has taken this popular concept and given it an exciting musical twist as part of their entertaining new kids’ concert.

WORDS RITA HORANYI

TAKING LITTLE ONES on a trek through the tropical Wet season, DSO’s latest concert brings together a narrative crafted by acclaimed Djapu poet and performer, Melanie Mununggurr, with music composed specifically for the event by award-winning conductor, composer and pianist, Simon Bruckard. 

Making things even more engaging for young audiences is the fact that kids get to have a say in how they would like the narrative being played out in front of them to unfold. 

“We came up with the Choose Your Own Adventure format as a way to really involve the kids. We’ve got a … story and just like a Choose Your Own Adventure book, [the children] are presented with options at different stages of the concert and they can decide which way the story unfolds and what sort of adventures our protagonist interacts with,” says DSO Outreach and Education Coordinator, Stephanie Arnold. 

The interactive fun doesn’t stop there, with plenty of other participatory activities for kids also planned for the event. The narrative that forms the basis of the show is also a testament to DSO’s strong commitment to engaging young people. Much of the inspiration for the story is drawn from poems and drawings that primary school students created in workshops run by DSO, including a poetry workshop run by Mununggurr. 

While the show is designed with young people in mind, Arnold says it’s a performance anyone can enjoy. 

“Whether you’re a young person or an older person bringing a young person, there’s an element of playfulness and fun that’s going to connect with everyone, and the music itself is really rich.” 

That said, Arnold reckons it’s the kids that are the stars of the show. 

“I really wanted to make something that empowers young people to feel like they could create … Even if they don’t play an instrument yet, there are still ways to be involved in that creative process from a very young age and to have that agency.”

Choose Your Own Adventure 
WHEN SAT 20 SEP | 3PM & 4.15PM 
AT CDU THEATRE 
COST $15 | $5 CHILD | $35 FAMILY 
INFO dso.org.au

_{Image: Paz Tassone}