THE MONSTER MY LITTLE SISTER
A SYMPHONY CONCERT FOR CHILDREN COMPOSED BY
EIVØR PÁLSDÓTTIR
THE MONSTER MY LITTLE SISTER is a visual symphony-concert for children composed by the talented musician Eivör Pálsdóttir from the Faroe Islands.
A musical experience of high artistic quality for young children. An unconventional symphony concert where the music, the storytelling and the visual elements work together in creating an effecting experience for children.
The concert is based on the award winning theatre performance and book The Monster my little sister by Helga Arnalds.
Length: 30 min.
Age group: 4 - 8 years
THE MONSTER MY LITTLE SISTER is a visual symphony-concert for children composed by the talented musician Eivör Pálsdóttir from the Faroe Islands.
It was premiered in February 2017 in Harpan in Reykjavík by the Symphony Orchestra of Iceland.
Composers: Eivør Pálsdóttir and Trondur Bogason
Story: Helga Arnalds
Illustrations: Björk Bjarkadóttir
The main character is Bjartur, a boy who just got a little sister. The boy soon finds out that the little sister is not a real baby, but a monster who wants to eat his mother up - and perhaps his whole world. One day his father and mother have disappeared and the little monster sits smiling happily on the floor and burps loudly. The boy goes on a long journey to find help to get his parents back from his sisters stomach. A journey where he comes across the Dragon, the North Wind and the Giant troll. A journey that forces him to connect with his sister and in the end he has fallen in love with this little monster.
Reviews:
The Icelandic Symphony Orchestra is in charge of extensive educational activities. Every year the orchestra offers series of concerts of high quality for children and their families. Through the years the orchestra has aimed to cooperate with outstanding artists working in various art fields in order to make the experience of the concert even more memorable and to introduce music in diverse ways.
The orchestra´s cooperation with Helga Arnalds has been both creative and rewarding.
This cooperation included two works: The Three Bears and the Monster my little Sister. Helga illustrated the Three Bears in an impressive way and made an old dream come true - the possibility to play this music by Eric Coates for children where illustrations are in the role of the storyteller.
Helga´s story about the Monster my little sister is an extremely artistic work and it was like magic to see it develop into the world of music. The work deals with feelings and love in a unique and human way and the result was a powerful and beautiful experience returning the orchestra´s audience home in a joyful mood.
Hjördís Ástráðsdóttir
Educational Director
Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Wonderful to be able to participate in this elegant concert.
Preschool Principal
The story about the monster has a beautiful message and can help children to cope with mixed feelings following the birth of a sibling. The illustrations and the music supporting the story make this an unforgettable performance.
Gunnlaug Thorlacius - spectator and a social worker
We had a fascinating moment with the Symphonic Orchestra
Preschool Principal
When I saw the theatre performance about Bjartur getting a little sister who turned out to be a monster, I was fascinated by this modern fairy tale. The magic that Helga Arnalds created with paper images is unforgettable. Now the story has been turned into a symphony with Eivör Pálsdóttir’s music and the magic continues allowing children of all ages to travel with Bjartur and the little monster through this emotional and exciting adventure all the way to the end of the world and back again.
In the second part of the concert where Goldilocks and the Three Bears are in the main roles, there is again this paper magic created by Helga Arnalds who decorated the work with paper puppets, a magic that strengthens our experience of the music.
I can easily recommend this concert for children between three years and one hundred.
Jóna Björk Guðnadóttir spectator
This was a very entertaining performance with really beautiful music.
Elementary School Director
This was superb. The children and the teachers are completely blown away.
Preschool Director