Family-Friendly Concert Subscriptions: Sign Up for the Best Music for Kids in New York City

There's so much great music in this city, from down in the subway to on stage at Carnegie Hall. But when the free outdoor concerts come to an end, your musical interests can start to get a little pricey. That's why it is often worth checking out the subscriptions to various venues. Not only do subscriptions cost less (per concert), they give you access to the best seats in the house and make you eligible for other special offerings and discounts. Many subscriptions start in September, while others don't pick up until November, so be sure to check these out soon, so you aren't late or sold out.

2009-2010 season subscription information for family-friendly and kid-friendly concerts:

New York Philharmonic
The NY Philharmonic has all different types of concerts, and is really for the whole family. The Young People's Concerts are for families with children 6-12 years of age. Each concert in the series focuses on a different masterpiece and explores how music develops and how the orchestra brings it to life. There are four shows in the series, with works from Britten, Debussy, Lindberg and Mozart, and each concert is preceded by Kidszone Live!--an interactive music fair where kids can try out instruments, play musical games and preview the theme of the day's concert. The best seats in the house go for $124 a ticket, but good seats range from $72-$40.

The Very Young People's Concerts are especially designed for 3-6 year-olds, to introduce them to classical musical through imagination, active listening and hands-on music making with members of the NY Philharmonic. This season Vivaldi's The Four Seasons is the piece they are exploring, set to stories of Philippe the Penguin. There are three shows in this season, Winter, Spring and Summer; tickets range from $54-$66. Also, teens ages 12-17 pay only $12 for select shows, but information on this subscription is still forthcoming.

What's so cool?
Ages 3-6, 6-12, 12+
Cost: $40-$124
Discount: 20-30%
What you get: Solid intro to classical music and hanging out/creating with members of the famed orchestra

Symphony Space
A subscription at Symphony Space allows you to pick four family events and save 20% off the single ticket prices or eight or more events and save 30%. First-time members can also join for half price ($50), along with your subscription purchase. All events take place on Saturdays and concerts include Elizabeth Mitchell, Bubble Do Beatles, Randy Kaplan, Ezra Jack Keats and more. With the discount, 2 adults and 1 child would pay a total of $199 for four shows.

What's so cool?
Ages: All
Cost: $50 membership. Shows are $8-$20
Discount: 20-30%
What you get: See some of the coolest and most popular children's performers.

Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall does have subscriptions for orchestras, recitals and choruses for adults and kids, and they also have $9 tickets (for everyone!) to their 2009-2010 Family Concerts. Recommended for children ages 5-12, the concerts are a great introduction to music. Every child gets a KidsNotes--a concert program filled with activities and information about the concert, and educational activities go down one hour before the show, free of cost to all ticket-holders. This season's concerts include: Falu, The New York Pops performing The Polar Express, a violin and double bass ensemble, ensemble ACJW and zany instruments. Tickets to all these concerts go on sale Thursday, Sep 10 at 11AM.

Carnegie Kids is the Hall's family subscription option, which has tickets to 45-minute shows for just $6 each (no matter how old you are). These shows are recommended to kids Pre-K to K and run in both a winter series and spring series. In this "Sound Playground," kids discover and dabble in the worlds of sound and music-making, along with their duo Polygraph Lounge, who take anything--a baseball bat and metal bowl, a bouncy ball and rubber glove--and turn it into a musical instrument. Kids experience these zany instruments with traditional and classical ones, too, as they get involved in the show.

What's so cool?
Ages: 4-5, 5-12
Cost: $6-$9
Discount: You can buy individually at the same low price, so cheap for all
What you get: Solid introduction to classical music, out-of-the-box ways to engage kids, cheap

92nd St Y
The Family Music subscription at the Y is a little different from the others, because the shows center on the interactivity. Bash the Trash (ages 3-6) tell stories and teaches kids to turn ordinary items into musical instruments, while using their imaginations and learning about rhythm and music. There are three shows in this series, at $30/subscription. Family Music (ages 6-10) is a series of 90 minute shows, where cellist Steven Isserlis, author of Why Beethoven Threw the Stew and Why Handel Waggled His Wig, returns for a fourth season of concerts that introduce families to the great composers. There are three shows in this series, at $42/subscription. A Slice of Music (ages 10+) is really unique because it comes with slices of pizza beforehand. Kids get to chat with the musicians and ask them about their life as music-makers and about their music, before watching the concert.

What's so cool?
Ages: 3-6, 6-10, 10+
Cost: $30-$50
Discount: Up to 50%
What you get: Pizza, quality time with musicians and a whole lotta interactivity

The Little Orchestra Society
A subscription to the Little Orchestra Society takes 25% off the ticket price of three shows, or a little bit more off if you buy 6. Shows include: Peter and the Wolf, Animal Tales, Things That Go Bang (Fall Series) and The Orchestra: A Happy Family, Musical Toy Store, Music Tells a Story (Spring Series). For three shows, it comes out to $90 (or $36 for Rear Balcony/Rear Orchestra) per subscription. For all six shows, it is $150 (or $72 for Rear Balcony/Rear Orchestra). As a proud grad of Hunter College (where the Kaye Playhouse is, where the Spring series will take place), I can tell you the rear orchestra isn't a bad deal. You aren't right next to the stage, but it's not so bad, either.

What's so cool?
Ages: 3-5
Cost: $36-$90
Discount: 25%+
What you get: Stories + music, a fun introduction to classical music, variety in the shows

Find more tips for NYC art and kid shows in our Culture Guide.