The Foothills Philharmonic has an out-of-this-world performance lined up for the weekend.
Packed with a playlist of cinematic soundtrack favourites, the Foothills Philharmonic Society (FPS) Chorus and Orchestra are performing their ‘FPS Goes to the Movies’ concert at the High River Full Gospel Church on May 26 and Okotoks Alliance Church on May 27.
This will be followed by the newly-formed Foothills Youth Strings Beginner and Intermediate Ensemble performance Spring Strings on May 28 in Okotoks.
“There will be a chunk of songs that were written for movies, like Lord of the Rings and stuff like that,” said Tim Korthuis, who directs the chorus alongside orchestra director Terry Lee. “Then there’s also classical pieces that have just become famous in movies, like Verdi’s Dies irae is in so many movies.
“Kind of the main ones, like Star Wars of course, and Lord of the Rings, we’re doing a piece from Harry Potter, but also The Big Lebowski because it has Dies irae in it, but then there’s Hunt for Red October because it has Lacrimosa in it.
“We are doing a John Williams piece from Empire of the Sun.”
These pieces, pulled from some of the greatest films of recent decades, illustrate just how important the score is to the visual medium, Lee explained.
“We can hardly envision storytelling in our day and age, without it being accompanied to music,” Lee said.
“Some of the best storytelling today happens in movies, and most of us listen to the story and barely pay attention to what’s happening musically, then you go back and actually listen to the music, it’s like, ‘Wow.’
“If you actually get a chance to watch with the sound muted, or strip out the music, it doesn’t have nearly the same impact.”
The choir and orchestras will each have a set list of their own, but join forces on a number of pieces.
“So O Fortuna wouldn’t exist without the chorus, so clearly the orchestra is accompanying them," Lee said.
“Then Duel of the Fates (from the climactic battle in Star Wars: Episode 1) is a good example where there is a sense in which the chorus accompanies the orchestra – the chorus becomes another instrument in this menage of sound.”
The Foothills Youth Strings Ensembles, an affiliate of the FPS, began training following their inception in January under the tutelage of violinist Madeline Bailey and cellist Karen Dees.
They are now heading into their first public performance at the Okotoks Alliance Church on May 28 at 3 p.m.
“It’s been really rewarding seeing them in a short time improve their communication, their musicality and their playing together is all going really well,” Bailey said. “They’ve worked really hard, I’m proud of them.”
As young musicians, their repertoire covers a wide range, from baroque music to movie scores and pop music.
“They’ve done a really good job – we're playing a very eclectic assortment of music,” Bailey said, adding the concert will reflect that.
“There’s not really a theme, but we wanted to give them an opportunity to try a lot of different styles and they choose their favourites to present in our spring concert.
“Like the intermediate kids, their favourite song they play is the Top Gun theme, they’re really excited about it.”
Ranging in age from seven to 18, the group was assembled by Bailey and Dees to offer enrichment for the young musicians hailing from Okotoks, High River, and the Foothills, where before to play in a group they would have to travel to Calgary.
“It’s a really good enrichment program for our kids to play together, bringing that full circle, practising and rehearsing together and giving a performance is such a good opportunity for the kids,” Bailey explained.
"The intermediate group is more of an intermediate-advanced group, because a lot of the older kids were really excited about playing some music together."
That opportunity to play together offers a fresh challenge, as many had only played on their own.
"A lot of the students have done solo performances, like in the Highwood Lions Music Festival, but this is their first performance as an orchestra or chamber group,” Bailey said. “It’s been really rewarding, they worked really hard, and I’m proud of them.”
Tickets for FPS Goes to the Movies and Spring Strings can be found at eventbrite.ca or www.foothillsphilharmonic.com.
