ZEBRINA RECORDS proudly introduces...
THE TOMTEN AND THE FOX and more -
New Classical Music for Children
Featuring music by Mark Petering

Story by Astrid Lindgren, author of Pippi Longstocking Recording Hosted by Norene Smith and Mark Petering Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra New Music Ensemble, Stephen Colburn, Conductor

CD features a narrated story, The Tomten and the Fox, plus four other newly composed pieces for children: Five Animals for Wind Quintet, Mississippi Delta Country for Flute and Bassoon, Journey for Two Violins, and String Quartet for a Pet Rabbit!

Meet the composer as Norene talks with Mark before each selection. The recording features Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra musicians including Frank Almond, Concertmaster, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and winner of the Eighth International Tchaikovsky Competition. Mr. Almond is playing his Stradivarius violin on Journey and String Quartet for a Pet Rabbit.

Click here to purchase the CD (www.vesterheim.org).

"Petering is clever and vivid; kids will not miss the connection between the music and the words...Petering is a skilled orchestrator and adept tunesmith. And he isn't merely a copycat; the Prokofiev sound here is tempered with with Coplandisms. It's charming music and the narration is well written and expertly delivered...The additional pieces reveal Petering's fluent sense of melody and feel for idiomatic instrumental writing. They, like Tomten, are programmatic, even pictorial."
Tom Strini, Music Critic, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

"The Tomten and the Fox" is a marvelous recording. The story and it's characters are wonderfully depicted by the music and it is easily accesible to kids of all ages. The CD is an ideal way to introduce young people to classical music."
Frank Almond, Concertmaster, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

"Mark Petering has a gift for telling a story with music. His depictions of animals are lots of fun for the young listener...The Tomten and the Fox is also a big hit with my two daughters. It's great to see a talented composer writing for a young audience." Bill Helmers, Clarinet/Bass Clarinet, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Principal Clarinet, Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra"I like Wolf best!"
Kyle, age 8, Richards Elementary School

"My favorite is Carriage Ride Home!"
Willy, age 8, Richards Elementary School

"Mark's music is an absolute delight. Even as a relatively young composer, he has developed a whimsical style that is his own. Each animal in The Tomten and the Fox, as well as the other animals on his fine CD, are easily recognized by the character of the music. Children will be thrilled!"
Judy Ormund, Piccolo/Flute, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
Principal Flute, Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra

"As conductor of the premiere performance of the orchestral version of Tomten, I was impressed that the audience of both adults and children was particularly attentive throughout the entire performance - something quite rare at children's concerts. The music added to the story's simple yet powerful message of the virtue of sharing. As a parent, I would love to experience the book and the music together as well as the other selections on the recording. What a wonderful family activity."
Andrews Sill, Associate Conductor, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra