Hugh Hanley’s Circle of Songs Benefit Concerts

Hugh Hanley will tell you that he has the best job in the world, and it’s arguably so. His workdays since 1985 have been filled with the gleeful sounds and happy faces of young children engaged in musical play.

To celebrate 25 years entertaining and educating preschool children with his “Circle of Songs,” Hanley will be presenting a series of three family concerts to benefit organizations that he has been connected with over the years.

The first concert on March 13 will be at the Regent Theatre in his hometown of Arlington, Massachusetts, as part of its award-winning Family Fun Saturdays series.

The second on March 20 at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain, will benefit Horizons for Homeless Children, a non-profit agency that provides quality childcare and support for children and families living in shelters.

The last of the series will be held at and benefit the Newton Community Service Center where Hugh has been visiting monthly since the start of his career 25 years ago. This final concert will be held at NCSC on April 10 at the culmination of The Week of the Young Child, a yearly international celebration of young children and those who serve and teach them. (All three Saturday events will take place at 10:30am.)

Far from being “burnt out” after 25 years, Hanley is as enthusiastic about his work now as he’s ever been. “It’s great work. And it’s important work. Despite the amount of music in children’s lives today, with their exposure to recorded music in the car and at home, there is woefully little music being made by young children. Our children are proficient, but passive music consumers. It’s wonderful to see the joy young children experience—their unbounded enthusiasm—when they realize through their participation that they are active music makers too.”

For more information on Hugh Hanley, visit www.hughhanley.com.