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Maestro Serge Fournier - a magical conductor - instructs Harry Potter (Brady Gurley, a fifth-grader at Jefferson Middle School) on how to play his violin. Up next for Fournier, he'll guide the Oak Ridge Symphony through a magical evening as they perform Williams' 'Harry Potter Suite for Orchestra,' Dukas' 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' and the defining work of the genre, Berlioz' 'Symphonie Fantastique.' (Photo by Joan-Ellen Zucker. Costumes, props and photo location courtesy of Oak Ridge Playhouse.)
If the terms Quidditch, Hogwart, Griffindore and Professor Dumbledore resonate in your family, you should by all means bring them, one and all, to hear the Oak Ridge Symphony at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, in the Oak Ridge High School Auditorium. This is an event that young music lovers are sure to love.
These strange terms are the wild imaginings of J.K. Rowlings' popular Harry Potter series whose score by John Williams is as familiar to today's youth as "Fantasia" is to their parents.
In the spirit of generational nostalgia, The Oak Ridge Symphony plans a magical evening as they perform Williams' "Harry Potter Suite for Orchestra," Dukas' "Sorcerer's Apprentice" and the defining work of the genre, Berlioz' "Symphonie Fantastique."
Maestro Serge Fournier has commented that Williams' score is far more difficult and complex than its innocent subject would have you believe. Williams is without a doubt one of the most successful contemporary composers of the 20th century.
Williams received Oscars for his musical scores as far back as 1968 for "Valley of the Dolls" and then the timeless score for "Fiddler on the Roof." He has been nominated for 35 Oscars and won 5, at last count. His other familiar works include scores for the "Poseidon Adventure," "Jurassic Park," the "Indiana Jones" trilogy, "Schindlers' List" and of course, "Star Wars." In addition, Williams was conductor of the Boston Pops from 1980-1983.
One of the best introductions to great classical music was and still is Walt Disney's memorable "Fantasia," where many of us were introduced to Dukas' "Sorcerers' Apprentice."
The memory of Mickey struggling with endless buckets of water carried by bifurcating brooms is indelibly imprinted on our collective memory.
The story itself dates back to the the 1897 poem of "Goethe" about a sorcerer seeking an apprentice who could neither read nor write so that he could be assured that his secrets were secure. Much like Mickey, the earlier apprentice's curiosity got the better of him.
Dukas, like our conductor, Fournier, studied at the famous Paris Conservatory where he became a professor of orchestration.
Unfortunately, he was such a severe self-critic that he destroyed many of his other compositions and ultimately, became a music critic. We can therefore be assured that the one that he saved is worthy of an evening out.
BWXT Y-12 is sponsor of the concert.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, children 18 and under are free. For information, call 483-5569. | |
