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Melanie von Trapp, 20, and her siblings Sofia, 22, Amanda, 19, and Justin, 16, took music lessons while growing up in Kalispell, Mont., but never intended to become professional performers.
"Singing was just something we did for fun," von Trapp said. Also, it was part of their family heritage, strengthened during visits from their grandfather Werner von Trapp, who is represented in the musical "The Sound of Music" as Kurt. He was a son of Captain Georg von Trapp and stepson of Maria von Trapp.
During visits to Montana from the family lodge in Stowe, Vt., Werner von Trapp taught the children traditional songs performed by his generation during the years the original Trapp Family Singers concertized around the world. That's after they fled Austria and immigrated to the United States in 1938.
"When Grandfather had a stroke and couldn't come visit us anymore, we made a CD for him," Melanie von Trapp said. "People started passing it around, and things took off from there."
The CD included the Rodgers and Hammerstein tunes "Edelweiss" and "The Lonely Goatherd" from "The Sound of Music," songs the younger von Trapps will sing with the Utah Symphony this weekend, along with folk music selections from around the world.
The group also will perform a cappella songs, such as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."
The von Trapps' concert career took a forward leap after they performed at a George Winston concert in Montana. Winston's agent suggested they put together a full program and began booking them for appearances.
The children's artfully blended singing, pure voices and true pitch struck a chord with audiences, and their show became popular at festivals and on tours. Concerts with majors orchestras followed: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Detroit, Boston Pops.
The group has traveled the around globe on tours, picking up new additions to its repertoire of international folk music during visits to Korea, Australia and Rwanda. The members are currently taking college courses online and preparing for a major tour of Asia.
The von Trapp Children are as fresh-faced and sweet-voiced as the actors who portrayed their grandfather and his siblings in the movie. They perform part of their concert in traditional Austrian folk dress — lederhosen for Justin and dirndl skirts for the young women, passed down from Maria von Trapp, the young governess who married their great-grandfather.
"Maria kept the dirndls she wore on her tours, and we wear those in the show," Melanie von Trapp said, adding that the singers intersperse their songs with stories about the real lives of the von Trapp family.
Utah Symphony principal pops conductor Jerry Steichen will conduct the concert . "We'll do a big chunk of stuff from the movie just to celebrate," he said. "What better place than out on a mountainside to enjoy music from 'The Sound of Music'?"
In honor of the family's connections to Salzburg, Austria, the orchestra will open the show with works of Mozart, Steichen said, including the Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro" and Symphony No. 41 ("Jupiter").
"It's a perfect concert for families," Steichen said. "With great tunes from 'The Sound of Music,' you can't go wrong."
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Deer Valley Music Festival
P The von Trapp Children will join the Utah Symphony for an outdoor concert led by principal pops conductor Jerry Steichen.
When • Friday, July 22, 7:30 p.m.
Where • Deer Valley's Snow Park Amphitheater, 2250 Deer Valley Drive South, Park City
Tickets • $50 and $65 for reserved seats; $20 for general admission lawn seating at 801-355-ARTS or http://www.arttix.com. For ticket packages at reduced prices, visit http://www.deervalleymusicfestival.org.
Video • See a clip of the singers at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpYB5siEnIw.
Upcoming • The Deer Valley Music Festival also presents trumpeter Chris Botti in concert with the orchestra on Saturday, July 23, conducted by Kelly Corcoran; Snow Park Amphitheater, 7:30 p.m. For details, visit http://www.deervalleymusicfestival.com.