Something Magical for the Whole Family

Every four years, the international music world turns its eyes to Cowtown as the world’s best pianists compete in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (aka The Cliburn). And while the competition is a wonderful experience, The Cliburn is so much more than a quadrennial contest.

For over four decades, The Cliburn has brought music to our community, bringing some of the best touring musicians in the world to Fort Worth. They play in clubs and libraries and parks. For over 20 years, Cliburn in the Classroom has brought music to elementary schools across the region, now reaching more than 60,000 every school year. And now The Cliburn has something new for our community.

“We wanted to do something new that would give families the opportunity to experience classical music together in a really fun way,” said Maggie Estes, Director of Communication and Digital Content for The Cliburn. “We thought, ‘Let’s partner with some of the strongest child-centric organizations in Fort Worth to bring classical music to places where people wouldn’t necessarily think classical music could go.”

This fall and winter, The Cliburn will present the Cliburn Family Concert Series.

The series consists of three (initial) concerts. The first is Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Carnival of the Animals at the Fort Worth Zoo on September 14. The Zoo’s animal ambassadors will be on hand to assist the narrator and the musicians. On November 30 and December 1, the Stockyards will host a multimedia show of Chris van Allsburg’s beloved The Polar Express, complete with original illustrations and holiday surprises. The final concert of the series will be on February 22 and 23 of 2025 at the newly renovated OMNI Theatre at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History where families can take a trip to the stars in Voyager.

“Our team came up with the idea for The Polar Express concert first,” Maggie said. “Then we realized that we could turn this into a series of beautiful experiences that could become a tradition for families in North Texas.”

The programs were designed to not only highlight the music but to shine a spotlight on the venues. Maggie explained, “It was obvious to do The Carnival of the Animals at the Zoo–and we were thrilled that they were as excited as we were and would also include their Ambassador Animals in the show. The Stockyards was a natural choice for The Polar Express because that’s where Christmas is in Fort Worth with the ice rink and Cowboy Santa, and so much more. And especially because the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is completely redoing the OMNI Theater, it made great sense to partner with them. These partnerships are the secret sauce in this new series; we’re great admirers of each of these organizations and love having the opportunity to create something truly different for our community with them.”

[Editor’s Note: The brand-new Jane & John Justin Foundation Omni Theater opens in the fall of 2024.]

“This is the first time The Cliburn has done anything like this,” Maggie said. “It’s really going to be a fun and magical experience for the whole family.”

For more information on the Cliburn Family Concert Series, click here.

The Cliburn Family Concert Series

The Carnival of the Animals
Saturday, September 14, 2024, 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
Fort Worth Zoo (Outdoor Learning Theater)

Let your imagination go wild as playful musicians impersonate the animal kingdom—from a stately lion and an energetic kangaroo to crazy donkeys and much more. All of this in the frolicsome setting of the Fort Worth Zoo, whose Animal Ambassadors will make special appearances throughout! Join us this fall as two pianos, a flute, a clarinet, and strings bring Saint-Saëns’ humorous suite, The Carnival of the Animals, to life like never before.

The Polar Express
Saturday, November 30, 2024, 10:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, December 1, 2024, 2:30 p.m.
Fort Worth Stockyards Station (Stampede Room)

All aboard the Polar Express! Celebrate the wonder and spirit of the holidays with us as we travel to the North Pole to visit Santa’s home. This one-of-a-kind show features dynamic narration and illustrations from Chris Van Allsburg’s beloved classic book, The Polar Express, with accompanying, hopeful musical interludes and a few surprises. It’s a new holiday tradition in the heart of the Fort Worth Stockyards, where your family can also enjoy the ice rink, photos with Cowboy Santa, the world-famous Herd, and many other festivities!

Voyager
Saturday, February 22, 2025, 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 23, 2025, 11:00 a.m.
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History (Jane & John Justin Foundation OMNI Theater)

Take a musical journey through the solar system! As special images from NASA wow us on the brand-new OMNI Theater screen—the most advanced LED display of its kind—a narrator will lead us on our special voyage. The stars and planets will swirl above as a piano, violin, and cello perform songs that explore and celebrate the wonder of space.