The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra is hosting a series of concerts for preschool children known as Animated Philharmonic, until March 29, 2024.  The concerts are led by the Philharmonic’s young conductor Vuk Wolkov-Popovic, together with the Orchestra’s members Tamara Marinkovic-Tomic and Slavica Peric, who are traditionally taking on the roles of narrators to walk around 3500 children through music from famous animated movies.

The repertoire of the Animated Philharmonic showcases music from iconic animated classics such as 101 Dalmatians, The Flintstones, Tom and Jerry, Aladdin, The Lion King, and more. Yet again, the Philharmonic Orchestra demonstrates that the music of this genre can be magical even off the big screen, TV, or tablets. Violist Tamara and violinist Slavica have temporarily set aside their instruments to take on the roles of narrators, telling stories about cartoons that today’s kids may not have seen yet but can grow to love them through music. Hence, when they told the story of Aladdin and asked the children what their wish for the genie from the lamp would have been, creative responses could be heard around the hall: for the orchestra to be the best, or even to transform into a unicorn… Someone simply wished for a slice of pizza, or maybe a tissue.

Moreover, this concert series also reveals that Tom and Jerry have not retired, since the current generation of preschoolers is quite familiar with their adventures. The Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra usually has a special surprise at the end of the concert in the form of a true technological wonder, the Steinway Spirio|r piano, and the kids are simply mesmerized with the instrument playing on its own.

With this series of concerts, the Belgrade Philharmonic’s concerts for children come to an end. However, the Orchestra continues to organize open rehearsals for kindergarten kids once a month until the end of the season. These rehearsals serve to introduce children to instruments and the sound of a grand orchestra.