The History of Maestro Classics

Maestro Classics™ began in 2004 in Washington, DC as Magic Maestro Music™.  The outgrowth of over a decade of sold-out concerts for young people and their parents at the Kennedy Center with the Washington Chamber Symphony, music director Stephen Simon and executive director Bonnie Ward Simon turned their efforts to sharing their gifts with a wider audience. Experience had convinced them that if you educated as you entertained, were sophisticated enough to interest the parents as well as children, and offered only the finest musical performances, all children could appreciate symphonic music. 

Together the Simons created their signature format, alternating music with talking, explanations with musical adventures. The title track is always a work for narrator and orchestra, where the music is just as important as the story. This is followed by background information about the life and times of the work and/or the composer. Then a new musical genre is introduced, taking a theme form the title track and transforming it into jazz, folk, Dixieland, heavy metal, or other style. This is followed by the conductor talking about what to listen for in the music with musical examples. You are then invited to listen again, sometimes with the narration, sometimes without, and people are always astounded at how much more they hear with their new “educated” ears. Finally, each CD ends with a play-along, sing-along, or dance-along track, because participating in the music making is always fun.

The inclusion of the 24-page program booklet that accompanies every CD includes biographies, interesting information on a variety of related subjects, both musical and non-musical, and is illustrated by a noted artist or children’s book illustrator whose work reflects the spirit of the music.

In 2007, the company changed its name to Maestro Classics™.  In 2010, it moved its offices to Falmouth, Massachusetts where it sits high in the top of Historic Highfield, a restored mansion on Cape Cod that hosts musical events, art exhibitions, and glorious parties. The office now has a water view!

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