Board Co-Chair narrates ‘Peter and the Wolf’ at Denville School

On Tuesday, April 16, an NJSO woodwind quintet presented a program featuring Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf—narrated by NJSO Board of Trustees Co-Chair Ruth Lipper—for students at Riverview Elementary School in Denville. Two hundred fifty students in grades three through five learned about the instruments in the woodwind quintet, heard Prokofiev’s classic tale come to life and had the chance to ask the musicians questions.

Following the performance, the NJSO musicians—Principal Flute Bart Feller, oboist Andrew Adelson, Principal Clarinet Karl Herman, Principal Bassoon Bob Wagner and French horn Chris Komer—coached Riverview fourth- and fifth-grade band students.

Riverview Elementary School music teacher Jessica Bertani later commented on the NJSO’s Facebook page: “The kids and I had a fantastic time rehearsing with the musicians after [the performance]. This continues to be my favorite day of the school year.”

The school held the event to give its students a fun, live musical performance and to recruit third graders to its instrumental music program. The NJSO quintet appeared at Riverview through the NJSO’s REACH (Resources for Education and Community Harmony) program.