The Victoria Symphony is pleased to announce its beloved annual Children’s Discovery Concert featuring Sergei Prokofiev’s timeless classic “Peter and the Wolf” on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at the Victoria Fine Arts Center. This year’s performance will once again feature a special collaboration with the Victoria Ballet Theatre, bringing together music, dance, and storytelling in an unforgettable experience designed specifically for young audiences.
“Peter and the Wolf” uses orchestral music to tell an engaging story where each character is represented by a different instrument: the bird by a flute, the duck by an oboe, the cat by a clarinet, and so on. This innovative approach introduces children to the sounds of the orchestra while teaching them how music can convey narrative and emotion.
A Tradition of Arts Education
For many Victoria children, this concert serves as their first experience with live professional orchestral music in a large venue. The event is part of the Victoria Symphony’s broader commitment to music education, which includes support to schools, masterclasses, and teachingartist visits throughout the region.
“This concert plays a vital role in making the arts accessible to young people in our community,” said Kimberly Tomasek, Executive Director. “We’re giving children a vivid first encounter with live orchestral music and showing them that the performing arts are for everyone, not just adults.”
Teachers throughout the area use the concert as a springboard for cross-curricular learning, connecting the music to lessons in story structure, character development, emotion, and creativity. Education materials provided by the Symphony help schools turn the single performance into a multi-week learning unit.
Building Community Through the Arts
The collaboration between the Victoria Symphony and Victoria Ballet Theatre demonstrates how different artistic disciplines work together, giving young audience members insight into potential pathways for their own participation in school orchestra, band, choir, or dance programs.
By drawing students and families into the Victoria Fine Arts Center for this annual tradition, the concert reinforces the role of the arts as a community gathering point and shared civic asset. Multiple grade levels attend over the years, creating a sense of continuity and shared cultural memory among area children that contributes to the community’s identity.
The event will take place on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at the Victoria Fine Arts Center.
Recommended for grades 1 through 5, reservations are made through the schools. For more information visit www.victoriasymphony. com or contact the Symphony office at 361-576-5400.
