Orchestra of Southern Utah to Explore Timeless Musical Creations
Written by Mary Furse
OSU’s first full concert this season is primed for transporting audiences back to the seeds of creation and to future realms, with a mix of stirring soundtrack cues and classical selections. Those who attend will take a journey full of awe and imagination. Concert is Thursday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Heritage Theatre, 105 N. 100 East in Cedar City.
Written for double orchestra and quartet, Ralph Vaughn Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis gives every line of melody and harmony a place and a function for an aesthetic masterpiece. Canyon View High School joins together with the Orchestra to fulfill the lush string sounds of the double orchestra. The music moves from a mysterious and brooding beginning, like the very first light of creation within the darkness of space, gradually out and upward until it culminates in a grand revelation full of awe and radiance. This music remains true to the heart of human expression, and encompasses our experience, from the beginning to the future, for us and all of creation.
The music of Halo will open with echoes of ancient conflicts, then evolve into an anthem of heroic purpose as, in the view of Halo’s protagonist’s, you rise to the task of fighting for humanity’s survival.
Next, Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations will take you through the heart of a creative artist as he expresses the characters of people in his own life. On the surface, the enigma was once the identities of these people he represented through moments of moving and tragic expression, flights of fancy and humor, wholesome reveries, triumphant action, and the luminous and deeply emotive “Nimrod” movement. The real enigma, which remains to this day, was Elgar’s intended meaning behind his theme. But for each who listens, a personal meaning and connection can be discovered. A vocal ensemble adds a new dimension to the piece featuring Jackie Riddle- Jackson, Dee Holt, Adrianne Anning, Taliah Byers, Lawrence Johnson, Derek Holt, Matt Henry, and Joseph Marrow.
The mood will then lighten up, in a way, with music from Luigi’s Mansion depicting a spooky adventure through a haunted house: a quest to rescue a brother from a ghost who fears no vacuum cleaner. Then, bursting with thrill and wonder, the music of Back to the Future will evoke the excitement of discovery and creative innovation. You may feel the drive (at 88 miles per hour) to forge your own destiny. As Doc Brown wisely put it, “Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one!”
August’s Rhapsody blends a colorful wheel of music with the rush of city streets, quotes from Bach, and expressions of open vistas, representing the inexhaustible palette of life, sound, and nature available to a musician. Featuring guitar soloists Stan Szczesny and Troy White, cellist Peter Romney, and vocalist Kate Sowards, this inspiring finale is the convergence of creativity and human connection.
OSU will be conducted by Carylee Zwang this fall. Zwang has served as a public school music educator and has directed pit orchestras for numerous community musicals. When not conducting, she plays percussion for OSU and also for the popular band 8eez and several other local bands.
Explore music of timeless creations with OSU on Thursday, October 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Theater. Concert ticket prices are as follows: $12 for adults, $6 for children, and $6 for students. No babies please as the concert is recorded.
Tickets are now available online at www.myosu.org.
Listening links to preview the music at http://osulistening.blogspot.com/2021/09/its-childrens-jubilee-time-and-we-have.html
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| Carylee Zwang directing OSU. |
(poster design by Rollan Fell of the Print Shoppe
Date: Concert - October 7, 2021 at 7:30 p.m., Creations With Music
Heritage Theater: 105 N 100 E Cedar City, UT 84720
Tickets: $12 Adults, $6 Children, and $6 Students
More information: myosu.org
