MONTICELLO – The Sullivan County Chamber Orchestra (SCC0) proudly presents two performances of Edmund Angerer’s beloved Toy Symphony. Sharing the stage will be the young artists of the Nesin Cultural Arts Aspiring Young Musicians program. There are two performances: Saturday, December 13th at 3:00 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 15 St. John St., Monticello, NY. The second performance is Sunday, December 14th at 3:00 p.m. at the Landfield Avenue Synagogue, 18 Landfield Ave., Monticello. Admission is a suggested $5 minimum donation and includes a toy instrument, so attendees can join the orchestra in the grand finale. Tickets will be available at the door. 

Toy Symphony was originally attributed to Haydn and later to Leopold Mozart, but now it is confidently credited to Edmund Angerer, an Austrian Benedictine monk and violinist born in 1740. Written around 1780, this playful three-movement work replaces half the orchestra with an array of toy instruments: cuckoos, nightingales, trumpets, drums, rattles, and triangle. It is pure musical mischief designed to bring smiles to faces of all ages. 

Both venues will also collect new, unwrapped toys and non-perishable food items to help local families in need. Remain after the concert on the 13th to browse the Holiday Market for unique Christmas gifts. Continue the celebration with a festive First Night of Hanukkah Dinner on the 14th immediately following the performance ($25 per person with generous discounts for tables of four or more, reserve through the synagogue).

This program is made possible in part by funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Kathleen Courtney Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Sullivan County Youth Bureau, Episcopal Charities and the Associated Chamber Music Players.