Review: SOUND AND CINEMA: A CRESCENDO OF ORCHESTRAS BRINGING MOVIES LIVE IN CONCERT

It is a standard for orchestras to have pop concerts showcasing selections of film music by renowned composers. Film scores by John Williams, Alan Silvestri, and Danny Elfman are regular selections from your neighborhood symphony orchestra. These concerts are a popular highlight for season ticket holders and reach a large audience of patrons who are not regular consumers of symphony orchestra performances. If you have never been, you are missing out on the feeling of hearing an orchestra perform in front of you and how your body reacts. It is pure bliss to enjoy how these great composers used the orchestra.

There is a growing trend of concerts where projected cinema is blended with the orchestral arrangements of a film score, creating a magical experience for cinephiles and classical music consumers. I recently enjoyed attending three "LIVE in Concerts" from nearby orchestras offering live-to-film experiences. These offerings are becoming more frequent as local symphonies seek to draw in a larger audience, inspiring those patrons who have never been to a symphony before.  

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse LIVE in Concert.

The Broadway Sinfonietta Orchestra

River Center for the Performing Arts - Columbus, GA

I had the pleasure of attending the first performance of this national tour at River Center in Columbus, GA. As a film, music, and comic book lover, attending a live orchestra playing underneath a Spider-Man movie projected on a giant screen was an experience I had to attend. For those unfamiliar with "Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse," This signature score by Emmy® winning composer Daniel Pemberton is a delicious blend of hip-hop and high-energy orchestration. This touring production is like a theatrical drive-in movie accompanied by a fusion of a live orchestra, percussion, and a scratch DJ. 

Pemberton's score successfully achieves thematic music for multiple "Spider-Men" from different universes, each with an individual character with a stylized edge. The energetic score carries pronounced character themes similar to the 1936 composition of Sergei Prokofiev's classic, "Peter and the Wolf." The music of "Spider-Verse" has a modern flair of orchestral heart, Post Malone beats, and electronic thematics reflective of a young multi-cultural superhero from the Bronx. 

One of my favorite pieces in the score is "The Prowler" theme, which has a razor-edged rip of horns, synch, and strings aggressively arranged in a forboding way that contrasts the hopeful, playful hero themes of "Miles Morales." As they fight, this intersection between the two stands out in action and music.

The performance at the River Center provided a perfect venue for a "Live in Concert" performance. The orchestra had room to spread out under the giant screen. The orchestra also features a DJ scratching on a turntable, placed in the foreground, giving the audience a perfect view of animated movements while scratching. 

The technical stage effects gave sequences of colorful spotlights around the sides of the orchestra changed to match the film's action sequences. This effect emphasized the pacing and delivered an intense visual and physical tension in the audience. 

The touring orchestra for "Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse LIVE in Concert" is The Broadway Sinfonietta, an all-women and majority women-of-color orchestra led by conductor Emily Marshall. These ladies played. The all-female orchestra touring was an excellent show of representation and opportunities for equality. These ladies rocked out with a very pronounced sound. Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy

"Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse LIVE in Concert" is a high-quality, enjoyable, energetic production by The Broadway Sinfonietta that will resonate with your inner hero. If you are lucky to have a tour date in your city, you should swing by and get tickets before they glitch out.

Tour info and tickets: spiderverseinconcert.com

Marvel Studio's Black Panther: In Concert

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

The Atlanta Symphony Hall - Atlanta, GA

"Wakanda Forever!"

If you feel the power in this affirmation proclamation, you already know the cinematic brilliance of the global blockbuster from Marvel Studios, The Black Panther. This iconic 2018 film stars the late Chadwick Boseman, directed by Ryan Coogler. The Black Panther is more than a film; it is a cultural phenomenon on multiple levels. This flawless representation of comic books is a milestone of Black excellence in a creative landscape. 

The film's brilliant and memorable score is a crucial component of the film's success. Composer Ludwig Göransson's Oscar® and Grammy® winning score is abundant with emotional and cultural significance, woven with African influences, instruments, and full-bodied drama. The music holds a bountiful spirit of the people of Wakanda and their heroic King T'challa and the villainous Killmonger.

Marvel Studio's Black Panther: In Concert was performed by The Atlanta Symphony, led by acclaimed conductor Anthony Parnther. Göransson's dynamic score amplifies this LIVE in-concert performance. The prominent sound at the forefront of the score is provided by international musician Massamba Diop, a renowned master of the tama, a talking drum from Senegal, West Africa. The pronounced performance of the tama is the heartbeat of the world of "The Black Panther." Diop's limitless, energetic percussion performance gives a true African-rooted spirit to the marvelous heroic and heavy antagonistic themes in the score. Massamba Diop was in the house and played with an abundant heart. He works the crowd with a bright light of enthusiasm.

The performance hurdle for me came as audio issues that often dropped the levels of the actors speaking on the screen. Some sections took effort to hear the dialogue.

One of my favorite selections is "The Ancestral Plane," when T'Challa goes into a trance and visits his father, who reveals the true identity of Killmonger. The song's progression from joy to sadness and disappointment plays out beautifully. This selection gives a feel of the main character's state of mind and their emotional toll at the center of the conflict.

Marvel Studio's Black Panther: In Concert was an adventurous performance. The Atlanta Symphony provided a powerful cinematic/orchestral experience resonating with a connection to the world of "The Black Panther" and a spirited tribute to the passion of Chadwick Boseman. I hope they bring this performance back soon. Feeling the music of Wakanda live while watching the film is worth its price in vibranium.

Star Wars: A New Hope: In Concert

The Montgomery Symphony Orchestra

Montgomery Performing Arts Center - Montgomery, AL

Before I share my review, it is relevant to share the importance of Star Wars in my family. We began our love for this exciting world back in 1977. I was just eight years old. Even though my mother had not seen it yet, she was beyond excited to take us to the premiere on opening day. She even took us out of school for the occasion. Watching Star Wars on the big screen was an unexplainable experience. The sights, sounds, and characters gave me a bright look of hope in a world I was a stranger to. Our family continued the tradition of seeing all the following sequels and prequels on opening day. I offer this reflection to provide context. The Montgomery Symphony Orchestra provided one of my best Star Wars experiences. 

Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert was a flawless execution of film and live music coming together. As soon as Conductor Jamie Reeves took the position at his podium, he launched the orchestra into the classic score by John Williams. The audience sat fixated as music and movie carried them away into a galaxy far away. The video projection was a fantastic HD visual treat. Watching it so crisp and clear made it like watching it for the first time. The familiar music brought audiences to recognizable emotions and memories.

There were surprises in hearing sections of the score initially overshadowed by the prominent sound effects in the final mix. This Concert allowed the orchestra to take the forefront over the sounds of laser blasts and X-wings flying. It was delightful hearing sections of the score I had never experienced. Each section of the score performed flawlessly in sync, drawing recognizable emotions from the audience for the characters. Luke's Theme" is a favorite stand-out selection, as it evolves as the story progresses. The theme appears full of youthful optimism, remorse for the end of his family, and, finally, the rising heart of a hero.

Conductor Jamie Reeves led the orchestra with attention to the nuanced timing of playing Williams's music and the bombastic sound and visual effects. The orchestra played in time with all the sequences. Even with an intermission, they impressively played eighty minutes of music. 

My nephew, who joined me for the concert is of course, a huge fan. At just twenty-three years old, he is already a near professor of the Star Wars universe. After the music ended and the final bows were given, my nephew and I sat with much amazement and joy.

"Hey, Uncle David"

"Yeah"

"You know what. This was my first time seeing Episode VI on the big screen. This was awesome!"

Hearing him say this filled my heart with emotion, nearly bringing me to tears. This concert gave my inner 8-year-old self a shared Star Wars experience with my adult nephew. Star Wars: A New Hope: In Concert provided a legendary and memorable experience that will live on in our memories forever. I hope the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra continues these offerings. They do a fantastic job of amplifying a cinema experience and giving fresh ears to building an audience for orchestral concerts.

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