“Philharmonia Fantastique: The Making of the Orchestra was written by acclaimed composer Mason Bates and co-created with writer-director Gary Rydstrom and story artist-animator Jim Capobianco to celebrate the centennial of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s concerts for children. A multimedia work integrating film, animation and pre-recorded sound with live performance, Philharmonia Fantastique examines the inner workings of an orchestra. Described as “a concerto for orchestra and animation,” it presents the modern orchestra as the perfect synthesis of art and science. Co-commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra, World’s Greatest Synth will receive its world-premiere performances March 26-28 by the CSO in School and Family Matinee concerts led by guest conductor Edwin Outwater.