So you want your child to have an appreciation of music beyond Katy Perry, Daniel Tiger or Frozen? Great news! Not only is NYC home to premier music companies and organizations, many create programming just for kids. (Even better: several just launched kids’ music series with programming that will have the whole family singing and grooving until spring.) Here are some of the best places in the city to introduce kids to compositions beyond “Wheels on the Bus” and “Bad Blood.”

art: LOS Kids

LOS Kids
The Little Orchestra Society is all about getting them while they’re young. The organization is staging a new concert series for families this fall, dubbed LOS Kids. The series is recommended for kids ages 3 to 7 and will feature four of the classical giants and their greatest hits. “Mozart! Starting Small to Become Great” will include Magic Flute, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and the Marriage of Figaro; “Dvorak! Exploring the New World” will feature Humoresque, New World Symphony and Slavonic Dance; “Gershwin!: Got Rhythm?” spotlights Rhapsody in Blue, I Got Rhythm and Summertime,” and “Tchaikovsky!: Bigger Than Ballet” rolls out the Nutcracker, Mozartiana, Serenade for Strings and Swan Lake. Tickets are available as 4-concerts subscriptions, 2-concert subscriptions or individually. All concerts take place at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College.

LOS Kids
Sat., Nov. 7 to Sun. March 6
Tickets: starting at $15
The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College
695 Park Ave. at 68th St.
212-971-9500
Online: littleorchestra.org/

photo: Jeffrey Bary via Flickr

BAM Kids
The Brooklyn Academy of Music brings its funky sensibility to kids programming too, and that includes music. The arts organization’s kid’s music series is already underway, and this season will feature a bilingual concert by Sol y Canto for kids ages 2 to 5 (Nov. 7); a jazzy holiday concert by Grammy-winning Jennifer Gasoi for kids 4 to11 years old (Dec. 12), and Brooklyn viola and violin duo Chargaux performing original songs and pop favorite for those 5 to 11 (Jan. 23).

Brooklyn Academy of Music
Nov 7 -Jan. 23
Tickets: $10
Peter Jay Sharp Building
30 Lafayette Ave.
Fort Greene
718-636-4100
Online: bam.org/kids

photo: New York Philharmonic Facebook page

New York Philharmonic  Young People’s Concerts and Very Young People’s Concerts
The New York Philharmonic offers concerts for the tiniest of culture vultures and their parents. Started in the 1960s by Leonard Bernstein, the Saturday afternoon Young People’s Concert series for kids six years old and up explores symphonic music through a theme each season. This year, “Once Upon a Time,” with concerts such as “Fables and Folktales”, “Myths and Legends” and “Babble and Verse” will demonstrate how stories, poems, legends, tales of heroes and villains all come to life in music by great composers. Works by Strauss, Gershwin, Mahler and others will be featured this season.

For even younger kids (children 3 to 6 years old), the New York Philharmonic produces the lively and interactive Very Young People’s Concerts on Sunday afternoons. Designed by Philharmonic musicians together with faculty of Columbia University’s Teacher’s College, Very Young People’s Concerts combine games, storytelling, and great music in one fun-filled hour that unlocks children’s imagination and talent. This season’s theme of “Philharmonic Playground” explores musical concepts such as treble and base, forte and piano, allegro and adagio with works by Bach, Tchaikovsky and Grieg. Check out an example of a Very Young People’s Concert programs here.

Young People’s Concerts
Dec. 12 – May 14
Tickets: $13 and up
David Geffen Hall
10 Lincoln Center Plaza
Upper West Side
212-875-5656
Online: nyphil.org

Very Young People’s Concerts
Nov. 8 – April 4
Tickets: $24 and up
Merkin Concert Hall
129 W. 67th St.
Upper West Side
212-875-5656
Online: nyphil.org

photo: Carnegie Hall/Stephanie Berger

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Kids
Carnegie Hall is so serious about introducing young kids to music its concerts are free. Now entering its 20th season, the interactive concert series Carnegie Kids is developed for children ages 3 to six and features a diverse slate of performers and musical genres, from funk and bluegrass to “Indie Hindi”, Latin and classic kindie rock. Acts appearing in the 2015-26 season include Songs for Unusual Creatures, Shine and the Moonbeams and Little Big Tiny.

This season will also include two large orchestral concerts in the Stern Ausitorium/Perelman Stage just for families. We’re super psyched for the Carnegie Hall Family Concert: The New York Pops A Charlie Brown Christmas celebrating the 50th anniversary of the classic holiday special. The  December 20 concert will include a singalong, dance, a reading of the story and other surprises. (This one isn’t free, but ticket prices start at $10. Buy now: tickets are going fast!)

Carnegie Kids
November 15 – June 12
Tickets: free
Carnegie Hall
154 W. 57th St.
Upper West Side
212-247-7800
Online: carnegiehall.org

What’s your favorite spot in the city to catch a concert with kids? Tell us in the comments below!

—Mimi O’Connor

International travel may not be in your family’s summer plans, but you don’t even have to leave town to take the kids on a global musical journey at SummerSounds at the Hollywood Bowl. This beloved children’s festival offers a chance to discover “the world in your backyard.” Families can revel in six fun-filled weeks of world music performances and cultural art workshops geared for kids ages 3-11. Two unforgettable hosts, exuberant Emily and her neighbor, grumpy Mr. Kay, lead kids on a dynamic journey to discover Gypsy, Bluegrass and Argentinian music. Created especially for the little ones, the 2013 program features live music and dance on the SummerSounds stage, located in the patio of the Hollywood Bowl Museum.

Mark Your Calendar
Music performances and art workshops are presented twice a day, at 10:00 am and again at 11:15 am. SummerSounds is divided into three sessions which run Monday-Friday: Gypsy Music with Fishtank Ensemble July 8 – 19, American Bluegrass Music with The Getdown Boys July 22 – August 2, and Argentinian Music with Los Pinguos August 5 – 16.

The 411 on Tickets
Music performances cost $7 per person (adults and kids – everyone attending needs a ticket). Art workshops cost $5 per child. Only kids need tickets for the art workshops, and they must be at least 3 years old to participate. If get together a group of 10 or more, tickets cost $5 per person for music performances and $3 per kiddo for the art workshop. But keep in mind that groups won’t be seated until the entire group has arrived. Tickets are currently on sale online, or you can purchase tickets by calling 323-850-2000, or in person at the Hollywood Bowl Box Office.

Bonus for Parents
When you buy three SummerSounds performance tickets, you can get two free tickets to a Hollywood Bowl concert. For details and restrictions info on this offer call 323-850-2000.

The Lowdown on SummerSounds Music Performances

Gypsy Music with Fishtank Ensemble, July 8 – 19: Performing with violins, guitar, bass, vocals, and even musical saw, this Gypsy jazz band stirs up a party with its high-energy stage show, blending traditional Gypsy anthems with jazz, flamenco and more.

American Bluegrass Music with The Getdown Boys, July 22 – August 2: Known for their carefully crafted songs, floor-shaking rhythms, and unmistakable harmonies, The Get Down Boys perform lively, original bluegrass with an irresistible and infectious passion.

Argentinian Music with Los Pinguos, August 5 – 16: Los Pinguos return to SummerSounds with their trademark blend of traditional Argentinean melodies, Latin rhythms, and electrifying live performance.

Professionally Led Art Workshops
Before or after each musical performance, kids and their families can choose an art project to create. Each project is led by a professional artist who teaches little ones about art making, artists and different cultures.

Don’t Forget Date Night
Now that you’re at the Bowl with the kids, take a look around.  It’s beautiful. Remember how you used to come here on summer nights, before the kids were born, and snuggle together with a bottle of wine, listening to music under the stars?  Yeah, we thought you might remember (and miss) those days.  So walk over to the box office, get a pair of tickets, and call the babysitter.  You deserve a bowl outing all your own.

Directions & Parking
The Hollywood Bowl is located at 2301 North Highland Ave., Hollywood, Ca 90068. Directions are available by clicking here. SummerSounds parking is free and available until 4:30 pm in Lot B (the Odin Street parking lot), which is located one block south of the main Hollywood Bowl entrance on Highland Ave. Click here for a map.

Online: hollywoodbowl.com/summersounds

What was the last show you saw at the Hollywood Bowl?

— Beth Shea

Photos courtesy of Mathew Imaging