"The most exciting new educational programming for orchestra in years..."
- Kyle Price - Founder, CEO, Artistic Director of Caroga Arts Collective

Louie the Loon!

A Children's Concert for Orchestra and Narrator

Story and Original Concept by Julian Müller

Music by Brian Shank

LOUIE THE LOON! is an exciting and heart-warming work for orchestra and narrator, perfect for educational performances. Unique to children’s programming, the script is modular, meaning that, in a mere ten minutes, the script can be transformed to make the story take place right where you are performing. Supply the name of a body of water or mountain near your venue and your audiences have a charming story taking place right in their own town.

Conveniently, the work exists in five versions: double winds orchestra, single winds orchestra, another for string orchestra, a version for string orchestra, and others for both string quartet and quintet, each running 35 minutes, about the length of Peter and the Wolf and other similar programs.

The story encourages self-growth, self-exploration, and love, and has been enjoyed by audiences across the United States.

LOUIE THE LOON! TRAILER

KEY FEATURES

35 MINUTE RUN TIME.

MODULAR SCRIPT.

The story takes place wherever you are performing! (More information below)

ACCESSIBLE TONAL MUSIC.
EASY TO REHEARSE

No complicated rehearsal to coordinate narrator with music.

MULTIPLE INSTRUMENTATIONS.
- Double winds orchestra.
- Single winds orchestra.
- String orchestra.
- String quintet.
- String quartet
- "Optional" parts for percussion, harp, piano, and additional brass instruments.
STILL ANIMATIONS

Still animations of the characters are available for projection during the performance.

AN "Old MacDonald" SING-ALONG
"SIDE BY SIDE" PARTS.

Easy companion parts available for youth orchestra side-by-side performances.

STAGE DIRECTIONS

Stage directions are available for youth theatre groups.

RESPONSIVE CREATORS

Both Julian and Brian are easily available for contact, and love attending performances.

Listen to Louie

Explore all of the character's musical themes and a video of the full performance filmed in 2025 at the Caroga Lake Music Festival.

FULL PERFORMANCE
(video description on Youtube contains movement timestamps)

LONG TRAILER WITH ALL CHARACTERS'
MUSICAL THEMES

In about 10 minutes the script can be transformed to take place anywhere in the world.

Simply use our custom-built website (link provided upon rental), provide a few key details (location, the name of a locally known body of water, mountain, and road) and the website will auto-populate the script as a printable PDF.

"The adaptations allowed the students who witnessed the performance to feel part of the story - they saw themselves traveling with Louie around their community. You could see the pride and awe on their faces as they encountered a work of art that was made for them! "

- Benjamin Kronk, CEO and Founder Southeastern Young Artists

How the Modular Script works

Try It Out

Click on the blue underlined text to transform the script to take place where your concert is

TESTIMONIALS

From Orchestra Members

From Parents

"What I loved most about Louie the Loon was how rewarding the music was for us as musicians. The score is well-crafted and engaging, making it a fantastic experience for both the performers and the audience. I couldn't stop smiling as I played the music and watched the kids have fun."

- Ray Kim, Cello, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

"Louie the Loon is a real treat for players and audience members alike. The best educational shows are ones in which the players on stage have fun, too. It's hard to get families to enjoy a performance if the musicians aren't, and Louie the Loon is creative in its composition, allowing for flexibility and creativity on the part of the musicians. It's exciting to see new, fresh ideas in the symphonic education space that'll undoubtedly help grow future audiences.

- Jonathan Borden, Double Bass, Buffalo Philharmonic

"Louie the Loon is truly a heart-warming introduction to the world of the orchestra. Lively characters and wholesome storytelling complement beautiful scoring in a dynamic production capable of drawing in children and adults alike. Brian and Julian have succeeded in crafting a meaningful concert experience that is simultaneously fun, engaging, and educational. Performing Louie has become a beloved tradition at the Caroga Lake Music Festival, and I am overjoyed that this one-of-a-kind production will soon be inspiring families and classrooms throughout the country."

-James Thompson, Violin, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Concertmaster, Erie Philharmonic

"“Louie the Loon” is a heartfelt, imaginative musical tale that brings communities together through storytelling. The music is a joy to perform—engaging for professional musicians, and unlike other educational works, it is written in a way that welcomes players of all levels from the community it was written for to join in. I wholeheartedly recommend Brian and Julian’s creation to any ensemble looking for a meaningful and community-driven musical experience.”

- Lauren Peacock, Assistant Principal Cellist, Alabama Symphony Orchestra

"Louie the Loon is a work of genius not just for its stand alone merits - thoughtful and provocative text and diverse and witty composition - but because of its modular possibilities."

- Benjamin Kronk, Violin, CEO and Founder Southeastern Young Artists

"Our family is looking forward to seeing and hearing Louie the Loon again! It reminded me of the time my grandparents took me to a performance of Peter and the Wolf when I was little. I got to learn about all of the classical instruments in the orchestra. Taking my own grandchildren to this was a real treat!"

- Parent from Albany, NY

"Louie the Loon is a program for all ages to enjoy. Our entire family was mesmerized by the classically inspired music. Our six year old granddaughter loved the audience participation portion of the show where she got to shout out the names of her favorite animals!"

- Parent from Gainesville, GA

"I don’t think I’ve ever seen an orchestra have so much fun playing a piece of music as this."

- Parent from Caroga Lake, NY

"Thoroughly enjoyed hearing this magical musical collaboration by Julian Müller and Brian Shank, and seeing the audience members engaged in the immersive experience!"

- Parent from Gainesville, GA

"The music is engaging and the storyline is adorable."

- Parent from Atlanta, GA

Performance History

Premier: August 5, 2023 - Caroga Lake Music Festival, Performed by Caroga Arts Collective in Caroga Lake, NY
June 8, 2024 - Southeastern Young Artists, Gainesville, GA. Premier of version for String Orchestra
August 10, 2024 - Caroga Lake Music Festival, Performed by Caroga Arts Collective, Caroga Lake, NY
August 16, 2025 - Caroga Lake Music Festival, Performed by Caroga Arts Collective, Caroga Lake, NY

Rental Information

Louie the Loon! is published and managed by the Caroga Arts Collective in Caroga Lake, NY. It is not available through Zinfonia at this time.
Please write to Lizzy Macintosh at elizabeth@carogaarts.orgwith information about your performance needs. Our team will is actively managing rentals.
Perusal scores are available.
Parts are available for rent in digital or physical form.