Melissa and the Magic Harp - Family Concert Series

Melissa Gallant brings her concert harp to the Central Library on Saturday, November 14, for a performance titled Melissa and the Magic Harp. It's part of the Indianapolis Public Library's Family Concert Series, and the whole thing is built for the youngest audiences: school-age kids, preschoolers, families, and babies and toddlers. If you've got little ones at home, this is one of those Saturday morning outings that actually fits their pace.

Gallant's approach is to use the harp to make stories come alive through the strings, turning a morning at the library into an interactive musical experience. Rather than just sitting and listening, the kids get to engage with the music as it unfolds, so it's as much about the storytelling as it is about the playing. It's the kind of thing that works just as well for a toddler who's just discovering what a harp sounds like as it does for a school-age kid who can follow the narrative.

Because it's part of the library's Family Concert Series, it's designed for a mixed-age crowd. You'll find preschoolers and babies alongside school-age children and their parents, all in the same room. It's a low-pressure way to introduce kids to live music, and since it's at the library, it's a familiar spot for families who already spend their mornings there.

The performance runs from 11 AM to 11:45 AM on Saturday, November 14, at the Central Library, 40 East Saint Clair Street in downtown Indianapolis. It's a short, 45-minute set, which is about the right length for the younger crowd.