A Colorful Symphony

Redwood Symphony Orchestra performance of Robert Rodriguez's piece

A Colorful Symphony was a piece by Robert Rodriguez. The music is based on a chapter in The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster which depicts an orchestra that plays all the colors of the world.  The music piece is a wonderful introduction for children into the world of orchestral music. The visuals tie in closely with the different instrument groups so kids can see the musical sections light up as the musicians play. A section of this project was heavily inspired by the Redwood forests of Northern California. As the orchestra played, the visualization illuminated the forest floor and splashed color throughout the various scenes.

Performance date

Redwood Symphony Orchestra Concert, Redwood City, CA October 2012


Abstract fields of grass, streaming sunlight rays, and ocean waves synchronize with the orchestra and the narrator's performance.

Different colored lights react to the different instrument groups within the orchestra.

At one point in the story, Milo misdirects the orchestra causing all the colors of the world to go crazy: plants turn blue, the sky turns red, and many other colors of the forest begin to go crazy.