Thursday, November 11, 2010

Ticket Giveaway for November 13th Matinee at Walt Disney Concert Hall

LA Phil Presents Mälkki conducts Mozart and Strauss

Just when we think it's pretty cool that our kids can trill scales on the piano or strum away on their electric guitar, we are reminded of the genius of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Did you know he had composed five violin concertos by the time he was 19? Instead of firing the music teacher, get inspired by listening to Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 1 performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall. We have two sets of two tickets for Kids Off the Couch subscribers for a matinee performance this Saturday, November 13.

What: LA Phil Presents Mälkki conducts Mozart and Strauss. Finnish conductor (and former cellist)Susanna Mälkki and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Principal Concertmaster perform two upbeat, intriguing pieces of music with violinist Martin Chalifour. The first, Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 1 was written when the composer was 17. The second piece, Richard Strauss' Also sprach Zarathustra, is known as a 'tone poem' and was used in the opening strains of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Enter to Win:
Please send us a note if you're able to attend a matinee (2:00 PM) this Saturday, November 13 at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Winner will be notified by Friday morning at 9:00 AM so please check your email if you want to attend.

Buy Your Own Tickets: This show will also be shown on Friday night and Sunday afternoon -
tickets are still available. While you're on the LA Phil's website, check out their varied Deck the Hall - Holiday Concerts programming, including a Holiday Sing-A-Long and New Year's Eve with Kristin Chenoweth.

While You're Downtown: Have you tried the crispy tofu balls at
Starry Kitchen? For more straightforward fare, drop by Lemonade at MOCA for a yummy cupcake and truly delicious lemonade. We always stop into their gift shop for items not found anywhere else. We love their online catalog -check out the street banners that once swung along city streets or a Louise Bourgeois tea towel.

Want to Know more about Mozart's Violin Concertos?
Click here to buy the record from Amazon.

info@kidsoffthecouch.com

Kids Off The Couch - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I + Whimsic Alley

When we read the final installment of J.K. Rowling's phenomenal Harry Potter saga, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, we genuinely feared for Harry’s life! Though we may know the end of the story now, we’ll still be first in line for the movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I when it opens on November 19. Our family has read every word of all seven Harry Potter books out loud together, and is excitedly awaiting the moment when we can catch up with Harry, Ron and Hermione in the trio's penultimate adventure. (The final tale will be brought to the screen in two parts, so fans can draw out the excitement for another nine months -- Part II won't be released until July 15, 2011). But all we really want to do is go to Hogwarts. We got a taste of our favorite School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by visiting Whimsic Alley, a store on Wilshire Boulevard that is custom-made for all Harry Potter fans. You can choose your own broomstick, try to get any of the beautiful hand-crafted wands to cast a spell, buy all sorts of Harry Potter games and gadgets, and even try on Hogwarts School robes. Stay to have tea at your own house table in Whimsic Alley’s Great Hall, complete with candles floating overhead and hosts who know their Harry trivia inside and out! One afternoon at Whimsic Alley is the next best thing to crashing through the wall at Platform 9 3/4 and hopping on the Hogwarts Express! (Click here for details on Special Events at Whimsic Alley planned in conjunction with next week's film premiere).