Roaring Success: “Carnival of the Animals” Brings 5,300+ Young Music Lovers to the Pikes Peak Center
Over two incredible days on October 27th and 28th, the Pikes Peak Center welcomed a very special kind of audience. Rows of seats were filled not with traditional concertgoers, but with smiling, hand-holding students in matching school shirts from across the region.
For the first time ever, the Philharmonic Kids concert series was specifically designed and catered to our youngest elementary demographic (grades K–2). Presented by the Center for Future Audiences and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, this year’s performance brought Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Carnival of the Animals to life through an innovative collaboration with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), connecting classic orchestral movements directly with Colorado’s rich natural wildlife.
Philharmonic Kids by the Numbers
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5,375 Total Attendees: Students, teachers, and chaperones joined us across the two-day event.
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12 School Districts Represented: Plus local private schools and homeschool families from all over the region.
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4 Packed Shows: Four 45-minute performances across two mornings (9:30 AM and 11:00 AM).
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Full House: The Pikes Peak Center’s Orchestra, Loge, and Mezzanine sections were completely full!
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Dedicated Journeys: Several schools traveled over 30 minutes each way to give their students this memorable live music experience.
Concert Highlights: Movement, Music, and Pups!
From the stage to the screen, every moment of the 45-minute show was packed with energy and audience participation:
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Wild Movements with Ormao Dance Company: Dancers from Ormao Dance Company wowed the crowd during Persons with Long Ears, The Lion, Kangaroo, and the energetic Finale, getting students moving and smiling in their seats.
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A Paws-itively Adorable Slideshow: Thanks to over 300 student and musician dog photo submissions, George Gershwin’s “Walking the Dog” was accompanied by a giant screen filled with local pups, drawing collective “awws” from the entire hall!
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Conducting with a Prodigy: Wildlife officers Deme and Sarah from CPW served as host emcees, guiding students through wildlife connections with humor and heart. During Vivaldi’s Spring—featuring 13-year-old violin soloist Amos Song from the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony—Philharmonic violist Matt “Diek” Diekman led the hall in practicing 4-beat conducting patterns right from their seats.
What Educators Are Saying
“On the way back to the school, students were conducting their own concerts using the lesson they were taught towards the end of the performance. AND, out of the mouths of babes… ‘I want to be a maestro!’”
“When I asked my students about their experience, they lit up! Many hands shot into the air to share their favorite parts—the instruments, the dancers, the shadow puppets, and learning about Colorado animals. Their most favorite part was seeing their own dogs on the big screen.”
“That was the best concert I’ve ever seen! The kids kept commenting on how cool it was and were reenacting all of the movements.”
Heartfelt Gratitude & Looking Ahead
An event of this scale takes an entire community. We extend our deepest gratitude to:
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The students, teachers, and administrators whose enthusiasm and joy made each performance unforgettable.
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Our dedicated Colorado Springs Philharmonic musicians for their extraordinary artistry (and playful animal sound effects!).
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The behind-the-scenes production crews, venue staff, and team members at the Philharmonic and the Center for Future Audiences.
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The Lane Foundation and the Broadmoor World Arena for their generous funding and support, which made in-school lessons, transportation assistance, and expanded access possible for students across our community.
With the Carnival of the Animals wrapped up, the Center for Future Audiences now turns its attention to our next major youth event for 3rd through 5th graders: Link Up: The Orchestra Sings, coming in February 2027!
