Symphony Space Announces Lineup Of Free Livestreamed 'Just Kidding' Concerts

Symphony Space today reveals a new programming lineup for its celebrated Just Kidding series, geared toward kids ages 3-8 and their families. In 2022, the New York City institution presents four free (with registration at symphonyspace.org) events, via livestream, in which a global array of artists perform on stage at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater. With these concerts, Symphony Space carries forward the commitment to accessibility it established through its robust virtual programming during the shutdown of 2020-21-and continues to prioritize making the arts available to those unable to attend live theater.

The early 2022 Just Kidding events announced today include:

* Ayiti: Stories and Songs from Haiti with Inez Barlatier & Her Family Band (Sunday, January 16, at 2pm EST): Audiences journey to a land rich with history, art, and culture with Inez Barlatier and her band, who celebrate Haiti with high-energy singing, upbeat percussion, colorful costumes, fascinating folktales, and more.

* Thunderbird American Indian Dancers (Saturday, January 29, at 11am EST): This performance of dances, songs, and stories by Thunderbird American Indian Dancers gives kids the opportunity to explore the culture and traditions of Indigenous peoples.

* Sonia De Los Santos (Saturday, February 19, at 11am EST): In this bilingual concert, Monterrey, Mexico-born Latin Grammy nominee Sonia De Los Santos sings songs about hope, home, and gratitude.

* Elena Moon Park & Friends (Saturday, March 12, at 11am EST): Elena Moon Park & Friends invite kids on a voyage to East Asia and around the globe as they perform reimagined children's music, folk songs, and original tunes in a variety of languages.

Symphony Space Executive Director Kathy Landau says, "This Just Kidding series transports kids and their families from their living rooms to destinations around the world, introducing them to diverse musical voices and cultures through the joy of performance. While the pandemic made it almost impossible, for nearly two years, for young children to attend live theater, we continued to serve and grow our global community of artists and audiences through virtual programming. With a commitment to accessibility and excellence, we have made this series free and are livestreaming it in high definition from the stages of our New York City home, in order to bring the magic of the performing arts to our youngest audience members, when a little magic is needed more than ever."

Symphony Space already stands out among cultural institutions for the reach of its programming, as its signature series Selected Shorts is heard by public radio and podcast listeners around the world. From the spring of 2020 through the summer of 2021, in an effort to keep its community of artists and audiences connected throughout the pandemic, Symphony Space reimagined the full range of its activities-including Just Kidding-as virtual events, reaching, in the process, audiences in all 50 states and 56 countries.

In anticipation of reopening its doors again this fall, the organization made a significant investment in state-of-the-art, multi-camera video streaming systems for its Peter Jay Sharp and Leonard Nimoy Thalia theaters that allow for broadcast in 4K resolution, with a remarkably crisp audio mix.

Symphony Space's Just Kidding program has been one of New York City's premier performing arts series for families for over 20 years. Time Out New York Kids has named it "the best concert series for kids," New York Family has praised its "excellent programming for children," and Mommy Nearest has noted its performances as "amazing." Reviewing a Just Kidding performance, a writer for the New York City Dads group wrote, "As a parent, it's a big relief to know that whatever show we're going to see there, whether planned or at the last minute, is going to be of high quality and capable of producing long lasting happy memories."