The Shirley Lubeznik Family Children's Concerts

Young audiences will be captivated by more than 25 excerpts of the master's music, including the Moonlight Sonata and the great Fifth and Ninth Symphonies.  The music is magically woven into the drama as two professional actors share anecdotes and observations based on true incidents from the composer's life.

The funereal second movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony sets the scene as we travel back in time from March 26, 1827, the day of Beethoven's death, into the more intimate setting of young Christoph's house in Vienna a few years before. Christoph's father has just died and Beethoven has taken the room upstairs.

As the correspondence with his uncle unfolds, Christoph recounts the horrors of the composer standing at the window wearing no clothes, water dripping down into their apartment, and Beethoven playing late into the night. Finally, after attending the famous first performance of the Ninth Symphony, Christoph has a new understanding of Beethoven’s tormented genius and leaves us with these simple words of hope and renewal as the Shepherd’s Song is played. "Mr. Beethoven wanted to change the world with his music. Maybe he will do it, bit by bit. (sung) His song seemed to tell me that soon it would be Spring."

To assist the classroom teacher, we have assembled a variety of educational materials.

•  Beethoven Lives Upstairs - Teacher Guide (3.84 MB)
•  Beethoven Lives Upstairs Slide Show 
•  Beethoven Lives Upstairs Slideshow Notes (235.67 kB)
• Music Selections - Audio Tracks
•  Music Selections (99.88 kB)
•  Beethoven Lives Upstairs - Script (236.54 kB)

Preview the concert by watching trailer.

Cleveland Orchestra performance at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Conductor: Andrew Grams. Actors: Natalie Berg and Jeff Kuhl. Music Overlay: Classical Kids CD, Beethoven Lives Upstairs.

Funding for this concert provided by the following:

Children's Concert

• Shirley Lubeznik and Family
• Art Works, National Endowment of the Arts
• V. Michael & Cherri Drayton
• La Porte Savings Bank
• General Insurance Services
• Dr. Linda & David Sirugo
• Rackham Services Incorporate
• Kankakee Valley REMC Operation Round Up