elementary school assembly concerts

Since 1973, Gemini has played traditional and original folk music for over a million children at elementary schools throughout the country. Excellent singers, the twin brothers, San and Laz, also play more than a dozen instruments – guitar, fiddle, mandolin, pennywhistle, harmonica, slide whistle, South American pan pipes, Native American flute, and percussion instruments such as the Appalachian limberjack, spoons, tambourine, African shakers, and the "bones."

Gemini's recordings have won awards from the American Library Association, Parent's Choice Magazine, and the National Parenting Publications, and their live-concert video was chosen as one of the top ten children's music videos in the Random House book, Best of the Best for Children. Their recording, The Best of Gemini won a 1999 Director's Choice Award from Early Childhood News. Recent appearances with Symphony Orchestras, and the Hal Leonard publication of two elementary school musical revues based on their songs have strengthened Gemini's reputation as one of the best groups in the country performing for children.

Gemini's Assembly Concert

A Gemini concert features award-winning songs in a variety of musical styles ranging from Folk and Blues to 50's Doo Wop, Klezmer and Swing. Their songs celebrate the everyday experiences of childhood and family life – topics include pets, food, school, sports, and other experiences of growing up. All of Gemini's songs and stories have a positive, life affirming focus, and their themes are playful and very accessible to children. San and Laz demonstrate a number of unusual instruments and even bring children up on stage to play some of them. They explain the context or meaning of unfamiliar songs, and at the end of each concert leave time for questions. Above all, at a Gemini concert the children are fully involved in the music making. On almost every song they sing along, children do hand motions or learn American Sign Language.

Gemini's Multicultural Concert

Gemini's multi-cultural concert includes a greeting song in many languages, a traditional song from Mexico, a Hungarian folk tale – translated into English, a South American melody on pan pipes, a traditional Israeli song with hand motions, a traditional Yiddish nonsense-word song,a traditional West African call and response song and a Russian song performed in English, Russian and American Sign Language. A special part of the concert is devoted to the traditional folk music of the United States, including a fiddle tune with the Appalachian limberjack, an African-American spiritual, a Native American tune played on a traditional Native American flute, and a Stephen Foster song accompanied by the spoons. Truly a musical voyage around the world!

Gemini's Holiday Concert

San and Laz offer a special show that, in addition to songs from their standard concerts, also includes holiday songs and stories from five different traditions – Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali (the Indian New Year), and Chinese New Year. This show is only available between Thanksgiving and Christmas every year.