Oak Ridge Today

Enjoy Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’ in concert on Saturday

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Cast for Don Giovanni Concert—Top row from left to right: Tyler Padgett, Paul Bryson, Ryan Colbert, and Joshua Allen; Bottom row from left to right: April Hill, Harrison Cooke, Marya Barry, and Marcelo Urias (conductor). (Submitted photo)

Cast for Don Giovanni Concert—Top row from left to right: Tyler Padgett, Paul Bryson, Ryan Colbert, and Joshua Allen; Bottom row from left to right: April Hill, Harrison Cooke, Marya Barry, and Marcelo Urias (conductor). (Submitted photo)

 

On Saturday, the Oak Ridge Philharmonia will join with local operatic singers to present a free concert, consisting of the entire score from Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” opera.

“This is an excellent opportunity to enjoy all the music from this famous opera, without scheduling a trip to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City,” a press release said.

The featured singers, under the direction of Ryan Colbert, are Tyler Padgett (Don Giovanni), Paul Bryson (Leporello), Ryan Colbert (Donna Anna), Joshua Allen (Don Ottavio), April Hill (Donna Elvira), Harrison Cooke (Commendatore/Masetto), and Marya Barry (Zerlina). The orchestra and singers will be conducted by Marcelo Urias.

In the late 1700s, there was high demand in Prague for comic operas dealing with philanderers, such as the fictional Don Juan, a Spanish legend.  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) seized upon that opportunity, and joined forces with librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte (1749-1838) to compose “Don Giovanni,” which premiered in Prague in 1787, the press release said. The plot is loosely based upon the Don Juan tale. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge faith leaders condemn racism, hatred, ask City Council to do the same

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Reacting to the deadly violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, this past weekend, Oak Ridge faith leaders on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017, condemned white supremacy, racism, anti-semitism, and other forms of hatred, and they asked the Oak Ridge City Council to adopt a resolution expressing similar sentiments. The statement of condemnation was read by Derrick Hammond, pastor of Oak Valley Baptist Church. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Reacting to the deadly violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, this past weekend, Oak Ridge faith leaders on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017, condemned white supremacy, racism, anti-semitism, and other forms of hatred, and they asked the Oak Ridge City Council to adopt a resolution expressing similar sentiments. The statement of condemnation was read by Derrick Hammond, pastor of Oak Valley Baptist Church. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

 

Reacting to the deadly violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, this past weekend, Oak Ridge faith leaders on Monday condemned white supremacy, racism, anti-semitism, and other forms of hatred, and they asked the Oak Ridge City Council to adopt a resolution expressing similar sentiments.

The statement of condemnation of hatred and racism was read by Derrick Hammond, pastor of Oak Valley Baptist Church, during a Monday evening meeting of the Oak Ridge City Council as 14 other clergy members stood by him in support.

It came two days after a 32-year-old Virginia woman was killed and 19 other people were injured after a car plowed into counter-protesters on the day of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. About two hours after the car crash, two Virginia state troopers who both have East Tennessee ties were killed when their police helicopter crashed and burned; the helicopter had been involved in providing surveillance and information during the day, the Charlottesville Daily Progress reported.

“This past weekend, a 32-year-old young lady by the name of Heather Heyer lost her life, and many others were seriously injured at a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia,” the Oak Ridge faith leaders said in their statement delivered to City Council on Monday. “The white nationalists, neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan members, and other ‘alt-right’ hate groups were gathered in order to ‘take America back.’

“While the kind of hate, bigotry, and white supremacist ideology that we witnessed in Charlottesville is not new to America, this racist minority movement has been emboldened by what they perceive as support for their un-American world view. Their rhetoric and actions threaten the historic progress our ancestors, from many faiths and ethnic backgrounds, have made toward equality for all. It is now our responsibility and privilege to celebrate the rich diversity of our nation and continue their work. [Read more…]

Savor marvelous music from the movies on Aug. 5

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The Oak Ridge Philharmonia is pictured above in rehearsal. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Philharmonia is pictured above in rehearsal. (Submitted photo)

 

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Prepare to have your memories stimulated by famous movie music at the free August 5 concert by the Oak Ridge Philharmonia. Whether it is “As Time Goes By” from Casablanca, “The Shadow of Your Smile” from The Sandpiper, the iconic songs from James Bond movies, or the themes from Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and Schindler’s List, you are sure to find lots to enjoy in this concert.

Herman Hupfeld originally wrote “As Time Goes By” in 1931 for the Broadway musical Everybody’s Welcome. Its appearance in the 1942 movie, Casablanca, starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, is what made the song famous. The refrain was sung by the character Sam (Dooley Wilson).

“The Shadow of Your Smile” by Johnny Mandel premiered in The Sandpiper, a 1965 film starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Other than a straightforward version of the theme that features a vocal group, Jack Sheldon’s trumpet was prominent throughout much of the haunting score. This song became so popular that virtually every famous crooner recorded and published their own rendition. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Philharmonia has open house Sunday; bring your instrument if you’d like to play

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The Oak Ridge Philharmonia performs at Cokesbury United Methodist Church in 2016. (Submitted photo)

The Oak Ridge Philharmonia performs at Cokesbury United Methodist Church in 2016. (Submitted photo)

 

By Dale Gedcke

Would you like to join an ensemble that plays famous Baroque, Classical, and Contemporary music…with strings attached?

The March 12 Open House with the Oak Ridge Philharmonia may be the opportunity you need to explore the benefits of playing with this excellent orchestra. Bring your instrument, and discuss the possibilities with Director/Conductor Marcelo Urias, the board members, and current players in the Philharmonia.

Refreshments will be served, and you may be able to play a few pieces with us, just for fun, while you are there. No auditions are necessary. Within a few rehearsals, you will be able to decide whether you and the orchestra are a fulfilling match.

Aspiring musicians typically encounter little difficulty locating concert bands in which to play. But orchestras, with the full complement of strings added to the woodwinds and brass, are hard to find. Even experienced professionals have to compete intensely for the scant positions open in sparse, professional orchestras.

The Oak Ridge Philharmonia is a community orchestra dedicated to committed volunteers. It presents a rare opportunity for musicians who want to polish their skills, while enjoying playing with the full spectrum of sounds only the combination of woodwinds, brass, and strings can deliver. [Read more…]

Community Orchestra to become Oak Ridge Philharmonia, has concert Saturday

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Oak Ridge Philharmonia aka ORCO at Cokesbury

The Oak Ridge Philharmonia, formerly known as the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra. (Submitted photo)

 

By Dale Gedcke

Pop singers do it, movie stars do it, even sophisticated string quartets do it. So, Oak Ridge Community Orchestra said: “Let’s do it. Let’s change our name.”

For the August 20 concert, the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra will be elevating its brand name to the Oak Ridge Philharmonia.

Under that new banner, it will be performing, “An American in Paris Suite” by George Gershwin (arranged by John Whitney), “Danse Macabre” by Camille Saint-Saëns, the “Overture on Russian Themes” by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, and the first movement of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Symphony No. 40.” More details are offered below. There is also a special surprise for the common man by a famous American composer. See if you can guess what all the fanfare is about from the clues provided.

George Gershwin (1898-1937) captured the sounds and atmosphere of Paris in the 1920s with “An American in Paris,” an almost jazz-like composition originally commissioned for the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1928. It is more familiar as the accompaniment to Gene Kelly’s dancing in the 1951 movie of the same name. The version performed in this concert is the condensed arrangement by John Whitney. Near the beginning of the piece, one can hear the taxi horns, and feel the rush of activity in the streets of Paris. A lyrical section of American blues emerges to remind us of the visitor’s nostalgia for home.  Abruptly, a fast jazz idiom jerks the listener back into the Paris bustle, and accelerates the music into a hectic, then grandiose ending, that mixes all of the themes. This is one of Gershwin’s most memorable masterpieces. [Read more…]

Lo, featured artist, to play piano suite with Community Orchestra this weekend

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Bernadette Lo

Bernadette Lo

Featured artist Bernadette Lo will play the “CROMOS Piano Suite” by Osvaldo Lacerda at Oak Ridge Community Orchestra concerts this weekend.

The first concert is at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 21, at First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge.

The second concert is at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 22, in the Cokesbury United Methodist Church in West Knoxville.

Also included in these two programs are Schubert’s “Symphony No. 5″ and the rousing “Finlandia” by Sibelius.

Lo is a Knoxville-area collaborative pianist, soloist, and teacher. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge Symphony Chorus prepares for Spring Concert on May 2

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If you are outdoors at 6 a.m. no doubt your ears are filled with the chirping of the birds heralding the arrival of the rising sun.

These winged creatures are not the only participants celebrating the coming of spring. The Oak Ridge Symphony Chorus is diligently rehearsing for its annual solo concert on Saturday, May 2, at the First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Community Orchestra concert Saturday features founder, English composers

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Oak Ridge Community Orchestra

Oak Ridge Community Orchestra

The Oak Ridge Community Orchestra has a free concert Saturday featuring the music of three British composers from the 19th and 20th centuries, and one 21st century Oak Ridge composer—Nancy England.

England founded the ORCO 20 years ago, and she is still with the orchestra today, playing cello. The English composers featured at Saturday’s concert are Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, and Edward Elgar, a press release said.

The concert starts at 2 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Oak Ridge, at the corner of the Oak Ridge Turnpike and Lafayette Drive. “Admission is free, but modest donations at the door to support the orchestra’s routine operating expenses will be appreciated,” the release said. [Read more…]