Orchestra Miami is pleased to continue its series of Free Family Concerts designed to introduce young children to classical music. Tough Turkey in the Big City: A Thanksgiving Odyssey, by Bruce Adolphe and Louise Gikow, will be a treat for the whole family! Perfect for the attention spans of our young audience, this fun and engaging program will last approximately 45 minutes.

What happens when a turkey from the sticks meets a Park Avenue pigeon? With the feel of an old-time radio story, Tough Turkey in the Big City follows the comic blunders of Tom Turkey, who leaves the farm to try his luck in the big city. The story, related to the audience by a narrator, illustrates a close call with a menacing chef, a tussle at the “Turkey Club”, a brief romance with a pigeon, and a happy mix up at the Thanksgiving Day Parade. It’s a big-hearted story of a plucky bird on an unexpected journey. Tom is portrayed by the bass trombone and his barnyard friends by the violin and clarinet. The music of the farm is a swinging barnyard counterpoint, while the music of the city recalls the smoky jazz of film noire. There’s also some fun march music at the parade, and hot Latin rhythms at the Turkey Club.