The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will present what it terms its first “sensory-friendly” performance at 2:30 pm on June 27, in its regular venue, Heinz Hall. Led by PSO Resident Conductor Lawrence Loh, the presentation, “Celebrate Pittsburgh,” is designed for patrons of all ages who have autism spectrum disorders, sensory sensitivities, and other disabilities. There will be open captioning—a text display of all of the words and sounds heard during a production—throughout the concert, and quiet rooms and earplugs will be available for audience members. Repertoire will include Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee,” TV’s “Mister Rogers Medley,” the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, and Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever.” Among the guest artists will be cartoonist Joe Wos; guitarist Joe Negri; the Pittsburgh CLO Academy Tap Dancers; and violinist Inori Sakai, a Juilliard student and former Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra member. Participating in a resource fair in the Heinz Hall lobby will be representatives from 30 local arts and service organizations, including the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Children’s Museum Pittsburgh, Autism Services Across the Lifespan, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and DePaul School for Hearing & Speech.
Posted June 25, 2015
