John Williams music feature of Saturday’s symphony concert
Many guests at the Butler County Symphony Orchestra concert Saturday, April 13, will be able to hum along to the tunes being played, but that doesn’t mean the songs are easy for the musicians.
Patricia Stagno, vice president of the board of directors for the symphony association, said the group wanted to end its 75th anniversary season with a bang, and he said there would be no better way to do that than by playing the music of John Williams.
The concert, “The Music of John Williams,” is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13, in the Butler Intermediate High School auditorium, and Stagno said she expects it to be a packed house.
“We had done a John Williams show a few years back, specifically ‘Star Wars,’ and a Harry Potter program,” Stagno said. “Those were well-attended and enjoyed by everyone.”
According to Stagno, the symphony will play well-known selections from movies like “Schindler’s List,” “Star Wars” and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” but it also will perform some deep cuts from Williams’ discography, which extends outside of movies.
The guest conductor, Lucas Richman, is an apt leader for the show, because he knows Williams and was previously asked by the composer to conduct symphonies featuring his music on tours, according to Stagno.
Richman will lead a symphony consisting of 60 to 65 musicians.
“(Richman) was at Pittsburgh Symphony for a number of years,” Stagno said. “He has also arranged a lot of music, like our Christmas singalong has been arranged by Lucas, so he's no stranger to this area.”
Normally, popular music like Williams’ is “cost-prohibitive” for symphonies the size of Butler’s, Stagno said, but Williams has publishing arrangements that are more affordable, which allows more access for musicians to play his music.
“John Williams has made available certain arrangements of his music that make it affordable for orchestras to buy and rent,” Stagno said. “Some of the music is in our library; we have already purchased it.”
With Saturday’s show being the final concert in the Butler symphony’s season, the association will recognize its community honorees at intermission. Stagno said the association each year recognizes people in the community making contributions to music.
This year’s honorees are Tessa Fernandez-Crum, a Seneca Valley School District music teacher, who is the Outstanding Music Educator of the Year; Judy Deahl, a retired symphony association musician, who is Outstanding Musician of the Year; and Jim Cunningham, who will receive the symphony’s community service award.
Stagno said she, too, is looking forward to Saturday’s performance, because it combines popular music with the talent of local musicians.
“I've been a fan for many years,” Stagno said. “Our musicians are top-notch and put on a great show.”
