The University of Alabama Community Music School will present the children’s musicals “Carnival of the Animals” and “Annie KIDS” back-to-back this Friday starting at 11:00 a.m. in the Moody Music Building.

The musicals are the culmination of a two-week Community Music camp that is a collaborative effort of UA faculty, staff, students and local professionals. The camp participants range in age from 6 to 12 years old and will be the stars of the two shows.

The Community Music School is a community outreach program through the UA School of Music which serves anyone interested in learning music and instruments regardless of age or level of ability.

While the Community Music School is not a degree-track program, the school is an accredited member of the National Guild for Community Arts Education, a faculty comprised of UA School of Music faculty, selected graduate and undergraduate students and professionals from the community. Through the Community Music School, more than 600 students receive private and group instruction on wind, brass, string, piano, harp, organ, guitar, drums, voice and composition/theory each year in a variety of settings.

The Community Music School also features a thriving Kindermusik program for children up to 7 years old. The school also includes the Tuscaloosa Youth Orchestra, chamber strings ensemble, various chamber ensembles and adult group instruction on strings and piano. The Community Music School offers programs and classes year-round, and summer options also include a string orchestra, one-week instrument camps and the musical camp for young actors ages 6-12.

This is the eighth year of the children’s musical camp and performances. “Carnival of the Animals” will be the first of the two shows featuring the participants of the Community Music camp, followed immediately by “Annie KIDS.” The event is free and open to the public.