MET Orchestra percussionist Greg Zuber drums up interest at a benefit concert for Our Children’s Trust at Rudolph Steiner School. Photo: Walter Karling

Music and environmental activism came together in mid-March when the musicians of the MET Orchestra presented a concert of “Peter and the Wolf” to benefit an innovative group called Our Children’s Trust. The trust is fighting climate change by helping young people sue the federal government on behalf of their own future. New York City Council Member Dan Garodnick narrated the concert.

“I applaud the MET Orchestra Musicians and Our Children’s Trust for using music and advocacy to ensure a healthy environment for our children and generations to come,” said Garodnick. “It was a great honor and a whole lot of fun to contribute to an important cause.”

MET violist Mary Hammann, who helped organize the concert, said, “We musicians are New Yorkers. We care about this city and we feel it’s important to be civically engaged around issues that impact our community such as the environment, access to music in the schools, arts education, and inclusion and equity in the arts. Music naturally creates a fundamental connection between people, and we want not only to introduce more people to the music we love, but find ways to use our music in service to some of these larger civic goals.”

Our Children’s Trust plaintiff and college student Alex Loznak spoke at the event. “We were so excited that the MET Orchestra Musicians reached out to us,” Loznak said. “It shows that this issue touches everyone. These players are some of the world’s most respected musicians, but they are also real people, with families who are passionate about their community.”