Old time music will jam for youngsters at Bing
Today, children can follow the music back in time.
Carlos Alden will be leading an Old Time Fiddle Jam at the Bing Crosby Theater.
Old time music, also called hillbilly or Americana, came from the Scottish and Irish immigrants who settled in Appalacia, said Alden, a Spokane Public Radio volunteer producer who does the “Nacho Celtic Hour.”
“It really hails back to when music was a social and communal activity,” not people sitting down to listen, Alden said.
Most of the songs are just melodies, and those melodies repeat, he said. The repetition and the steady beat are part of the charm.
“It’s like hearing your favorite bedtime story. You know what’s coming down the pike, but you want to hear it anyway,” Alden said.
“That’s the heart of this music, the appeal of these little melodies that come down from the past. This is living history,” Alden said.
Joining Alden on stage will be Ted Hensold, John Sylte and Judy Lundgren. They’ll be playing fiddle, banjo, mandolin and harmonica.
“We’re going to be mixing it up, not every song is going to have the same instrumentation,” Alden said.
Spokane Public Radio started the Kids Concerts in 1993 as a way to “encourage kids to become involved with music,” said Kathy Sackett, KPBX special events and underwriting director.
Staff and volunteers work to create an authentic concert experience, Sackett said, training children for future attendance at the symphony or a jazz concert. “That’s why we go to the Bing.” It’s small enough to not be scary, and gives families an opportunity to experience the historic building.
But, it’s also laid back. People can come and go as needed, clap or get up and dance.
“It’ll be a blast,” Alden said.
“I love this music because it is so appealing and infectious.”
Kimberly Lusk
When: Noon today
Where: Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave.
Cost: Free