Teddy Bear Concert

(Teddy Bear Concert): Since 2002, our annual holiday concert for children has been dedicated to collecting stuffed toys for local children in crisis. Though the concert is free – as are all of our home concerts – we ask our patrons to bring one stuffed animal to donate to the Fort Worth Police Department. The police officers carry the toys in the back of their patrol cars to hand out to children when responding to domestic disturbance calls. The experience can be frightening and traumatic to a young child, but having a lovey to hold onto can calm a distressed boy or girl caught in a fearful and confusing situation. (Holiday Carol Contest): In 2004, FWCO music director Kurt Sprenger conceived an annual songwriting contest expressly for elementary schoolchildren. The students – working either individually or in groups and with help from their school music teacher – compose words and music to a seasonal carol of their own creation. The entrants are judged by the quality of the melody and the lyrics, and the selected songs are professionally arranged for voice and orchestra. The annual unveiling of these “brand new” holiday carols has become a FWCO tradition and one of the highlights of our Teddy Bear Concert.