Virginia B. Goes to the Symphony

MEET VIRGINIA

For 10-year-old Virginia B., life in 1936 St. Louis moves with a rhythm she knows by heart.

Her days are full and joyful between school, helping Mama with chores, family dinners, and church every Sunday. And now that her beloved Großmutter, Oma, has come to live with them, life is even sweeter (especially thanks to Oma's amazing baking!).

One of Virginia's favorite things is playing her Mama's old Kieselhorst piano. She loves to run her fingers over the worn keys and imagine what it would be like to perform Johann Sebastian Bach in a grand concert hall.

Virginia also loves math class, where she can use her analytical mind to solve challenging problems. When she's not imagining her career as a famous musician, she dreams of one day becoming a businesswoman, just like her Papa.

Virginia likes her world to be neat and predictable. But everything changes when she and her older brother, Robert, are each promised a surprise adventure with Oma. The promise of a special day spent with Oma sparks excitement and wonder in Virginia's imagination, but there's a problem: it's only Friday, and Virginia has to wait more than twenty-four whole hours for her turn.

As the anticipation of Oma's surprise grows, Virginia tries to stay busy with chores and piano practice, but the waiting feels endless. When the big day finally arrives, Oma's adventure turns out to be more than Virginia could have imagined. In a single afternoon, their adventure, underscored by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, opens Virginia's heart and mind in unexpected and unforgettable ways.

Virginia B. Goes to the Symphony is a warm, inspiring story about faith, family, music, and finding your own rhythm. Meet the curious, determined young girl who will one day become one of the world's most generous and influential philanthropists.