PACIFIC SYMPHONY : Musical Mysteries in 6-Part ‘String of Clues’ Family Concert Series

The Pacific Symphony will open its Saturday morning family concert series, “String of Clues,” on Nov. 1 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa. Pacific Symphony assistant conductor Elizabeth Stoyanovich will lead all six programs, with concert times at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Designed for children ages 4 to 13 and their families, each program features a treasure hunt through which participants can solve various musical mysteries and puzzles.

Series tickets cost $51 for children under 14; $63 for adults. Single tickets are $10 for children under 14; $12 for adults.

Information: (714) 755-5799.

The schedule:

* Nov. 1: “Star Suspect”: Introduction to Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra”; “Jupiter” from Holst’s “The Planets”; Patrick Stoyanovich’s “Neptune’s Samba”; Michael Torke’s “Javelin”; music by John Williams for “Star Wars.”

* Dec. 13: “The Christmas Caper”: Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride”; Leopold Mozart’s “Toy Symphony”; Lukas Richman’s “Hunukkah Festival Overture”; “Dance of the Buffoons” from Rimsky-Korsakov’s “The Snow Maiden”; traditional carols.

* Feb. 7: “Mysterious Madam”: Berlioz’ “Roman Carnival” Overture; Satie’s “Gymnopedie” No. 3; Gershwin’s “An American in Paris”; Bizet’s Second “L’Arlesienne” Suite.

* March 7: “Top Secret in Nature”: Medley of music by Elton John for “The Lion King”; Overture to Mendelssohn’s Incidental Music for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”; “On the Trail” from Grofe’s “Grand Canyon Suite”; “Storm” from Britten’s “Four Sea Interludes” from “Peter Grimes”; Suite from Stravinsky’s “Firebird”; Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee.”

* April 18: “Sleuth in a Caboose”: Warren/Hayman’s “Chattanooga Choo Choo”; Overture to Rossini’s “La Gazza Ladra”; Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony; Violin Concerto to be announced, with Corinne Chapella, winner of the 1996-97 Pacific Symphony Institute Concerto Competition, as soloist.

* June 6: “The Nutty Detective”: “Sabre Dance” from Khachaturian’s “Gayne”; Stravinsky’s “Le Sacre du Printemps”; Williams’ music for “The Lost World”; Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain”; “Mambo” from Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story.”