Our story
Bach Before Bedtime (BBB), founded by Allegra Chamber Music in 2008, introduces children of all ages to a fun, interactive, and sensory-stimulating series of chamber music concerts throughout the year. Performed by Montreal’s premiere classical musicians, a whimsical bilingual story accompanies each piece, bringing meaning to the music. Young concert-goers have the chance to conduct the musicians, play along with percussion instruments, interact with the performers and even try their instruments.
Our Mission
To expose children and their families to the world of classical music through hands-on, educational concerts. To remove the barrier between audiences and performers through interactive, communal performance experiences.
Our Vision
To create a new generation of active, engaged listeners, and future musicians through its interactive and experiential concerts.
Our Values
Education: BBB broadens the children’s array of visual, auditory, cognitive, communicative, social, and musical skills.
Bilingualism: BBB concerts are presented simultaneously in English and French by a group of dynamic and engaging narrator-musicians.
Encouragement: BBB makes participation fun for all types of children, on stage and off, during the performance, and one-on-one with the musicians afterward.
Inspiration: BBB inspires children in a variety of ways, by learning more about composers, listening to music, or learning to play an instrument.
Outreach: BBB partners with daycares and schools throughout Montreal, and provides financial support to children and communities for whom cost is a barrier.
Cultivation: BBB develops audiences by opening the eyes and ears of entire families to exceptional classical music.
Meet our team
Photo by Étienne Gautier
Dorothy Fieldman Fraiberg, Artistic Director
Dorothy is passionate about introducing chamber music to children, and is committed to nurturing the audience of the future. As founder of the Allegra Foundation, she created Bach Before Bedtime in 2008. A magical experience that introduces children to classical music, this concert series provides access to outstanding musicians and performances through creative and interactive programming.
Leadership and Administration
Artistic Director: Dorothy Fieldman Fraiberg
Program Director: Emily Burt
BBB Committee: Anna Birnie-Lefcovitch, Adam Gold, Jacqueline Hopmeyer, Gabi Opas, & Kathryn Stephenson
Allegra Foundation Board of Directors: Anna Birnie-Lefcovitch (chair), Morris Goodman, Jill Martis, Donna Muller, Judie Jokinen, Stephanie Riddell, Samira Sakhia, Sally Yaffe
Photo by Riccardo Cellere
Rozzie’s Musical Ensemble
Photo by Olivia Mann
For children living in culturally underserved communities, a morning or late afternoon children’s musical event is simply unaffordable and out-of-the-question.
Rozzie’s Musical Ensemble will change that.
With your contribution, Bach Before Bedtime can engage and inform new communities about concerts, provide free tickets, and even facilitate transportation.
Giving the gift of Bach Before Bedtime to all children in Montreal and sustaining Rozzie’s Musical Ensemble is only possible with your generous support.
As part of our outreach program, Allegra Chamber Music and Bach Before Bedtime are proud to share Rozzie’s Musical Ensemble, a financial outreach initiative to provide subsidized tickets to underserved communities that may not otherwise experience or have access to classical chamber music.
Dedicated in loving memory of Rosalind Goodman, an instrumental and devoted longtime member of the Allegra Foundation board, and fervent supporter of Bach Before Bedtime, Rozzie’s Musical Ensemble encapsulates her passion of making art and culture accessible to all.
By working in close partnership with many of Montreal’s daycare centres and preschools through Bach Before Bedtime’s local outreach program to underserved communities, thousands of students will be able to participate in the Bach Before Bedtime experience.
Rozzie’s Musical Ensemble ensures there will be no financial barrier to entry.
This ensures that each child can enjoy a little Bach Before Bedtime.
Testimonials
"I wanted to tell you that we really enjoyed the concert: even with the winter, we don't hesitate to come and see you. I also say that the best proof of how much the children love the music, the story and also sharing with the musicians, comes from one of our little friends from daycare who is 3 years old and who is voluntary silent (he decides, sometimes, not to speak). Before the midday nap, when he was going to bed, he looked me straight in the eye and said, “It was really beautiful”. He smiled and fell asleep. It really touched me!” (translated from French) - Danielle Papillon, Daycare owner
My name is Alegre Mizrahi, I’m the director of the CPE CCJ. Our CPE has 178 children registered. Our CPE believes that every child has unlimited potential, creativity, curiosity, and the best way to encourage them to develop their potential is to expose them to different environments, experiences and sensorial exposure. In the last years we were so happy to discover the existence of such an incredible show/ concert for children of young ages. BBB time has helped us to expose our children to classical music in an interactive, well presented and active manner. These concerts had an impact in our children opening the pleasure to music and introducing them to different instruments and voices. I strongly believe that BBB is an excellent way to awaken sensitivity, love and appreciation to classical music. I thank Dorothy for her passion, her devotion and her love to music that she knows to transmit. - Alegre Mizrahi, director of CPE CCJ