Teddy Bears’ Picnic Concert on Sunday To Feature a Mystery

ONEONTA—The Oneonta Community Concert Band will present its annual Teddy Bears’ Picnic concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 16 in the Wilber Park large pavilion, under the direction of Kerri Hogel. The theme will be “Teddy Solves a Mystery,” with the audience invited to guess the solution based on clues in the music. For children present, the concert also includes a drawing for a teddy bear.

The concert is free and open to the public, with seating available at picnic tables. Listeners are invited to bring lawn chairs along with their favorite teddy bear.

Hogel said the program features music related to sleuthing, some drawn from famous movies.

“You’ll hear themes from ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark,’ a James Bond suite and highlights from Jim Henson’s ‘The Great Muppet Caper,’” she said.

“I’ve also included ‘The Cave You Fear’ by Michael Markowski, Paul Jennings’ ‘They Went That Away,’ and Hector Berlioz’s ‘March to the Scaffold,’ Hogel added. “There’s more, and of course we’ll end with John Bratton’s ‘The Teddy Bears’ Picnic,’ our inspiration for this concert.”

The Oneonta Community Concert Band has been an Oneonta institution since the 1850s and consists of local professional musicians, experienced adults, and advanced students. Conductor Hogel, who has taught music in area schools for 30 years, leads the Cooperstown High School Senior Band, often directs Orpheus Theatre shows, and performs in regional ensembles large and small.

For more information, follow the band on Facebook or call (607) 376-7485.