by Cody Repine
Last Thursday, March 10, the stage was set for the FC Orchestra Department’s 18th Annual Winter Pops Concert. Well, actually it was set for “Willy Wonka,” but the musicians crammed themselves onstage amidst the remnants of the set and the open orchestra pit. As cramped as they were, the musicians still managed to make enough room for orchestra director Doug Elmore’s sternly uproarious conducting. The orchestra performed pieces by Elmer Bernstein, Hans Zimmer, and John Williams, and finished with a practice run of its ISSMA Contest pieces.
The evening kicked off with the theme from “The Magnificent Seven,” a classic piece of American cinematic music, complete with brassy fanfares and an added dash of lively Latin rhythm. After the first few notes, nods and smiles from sheer nostalgia began to spread through the auditorium. A sense of excitement, of something building, prevailed throughout the night, and continued to build until the last crushing blows at the bass drum in Allegro non troppo from Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony. Even guest conductor Gabrielle Boguslaw from U of L seemed caught up in it when she directed Slavonic Dance no. 8 entirely too fast.
After “Slavonic Dance,” Elmore turned out the lights and brought the excitement down a notch, making a point regarding budget cuts and the arts. The momentary silence and darkness starkly illustrated the reality of the loss of the arts in schools.
Two softer pieces, “Aria” and “Schindler’s List,” allowed the musicians to showcase their lyrical prowess. The Stokowski arrangement of Bach’s “Aria” stripped most of the original melody from the violins and placed it upon the cellos. It takes a talented musician to play that high on a cello. The performance was as light as air, as the Italian word “aria” would suggest. In both pieces, the musicians allowed themselves to be moved by the music, not enslaved to the notes on the page. I’m not a highly emotional person, but “Schindler’s List” made my eyes misty and my throat tense, and I haven’t even seen the movie. The piece was originally composed for a small ensemble and violin soloist Itzhak Perlman. The symphony orchestra kept true to Williams’ vision with its unified voice, leaving me feeling as if I could have been listening to a chamber group.
Also from Williams, the ever-popular selections from “The Empire Strikes Back” generated much excitement. The FC symphony orchestra is no London Symphony, but its sound was just as impressive as the original score. The strings provided the solid base for the brass and woodwinds with their pin pointed intonation and dynamics.
By far, the highlight of the concert was “Shostakovich 5,” the most ambitious contest piece the orchestra has attempted in over 20 years. The performance was a little rough around the edges, but the strings were remarkably together in their bowing. The Memoirs of Dmitri Shostakovich quoted one moved listener from years ago as saying of the piece, “It is high voltage, nervous electricity.” The orchestra still has a little ways to go before contest next month, but the musicians definitely nailed that level of energy and intensity.
The symphony orchestra’s precision bowing, spot on dynamics, and overall cohesiveness made this the year’s best concert to date, an A+ performance. At $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and free admission for students, such concerts can be an inexpensive way to entertain your family. The ambitious spirit of this orchestra and drive of the individual musicians create a a unique musical experience that keeps me in eager anticipation of each concert.
Don’t miss the upcoming Spring Concert on April 17.