Sunday, October 26
3 p.m.
Royal Oak High School Auditorium
The movies. Football. A circus parade. SOCB’s “Our Favorite Pastimes” celebrates American leisure with music from John Williams and Danny Elfman, as well as traditional favorites from the likes of Percy Aldridge Grainger. With its family-friendly program, including a little bit of Halloween fun, SOCB’s “Our Favorite Pastimes” is classic American entertainment at its very best.
This concert also highlights the premiere of the Woodward Avenue Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Philip Lombard. Unlike SOCB’s previous jazz band, the newly formed Woodward Avenue Jazz Orchestra has expanded its repertoire and performs apart from, as well as in conjunction with, the SOCB. The jazz orchestra is also available for parties and special events.
Program Notes
The Incredible Flutist
Walter Piston (1894 -1976)
This piece features music from the ballet by the 20th century American composer Walter Piston. Piston was a professor of music at Harvard for almost forty years and is perhaps better known for his scholarly works on music theory. The ballet tells the story of a circus arriving in a small town in the midwest. The band performed five movements from the suite:
Arrival of the Circus
Circus March
The Flutist
Tango of the Merchants Daughters
Spanish Waltz
Olympic Fanfare and March
John Williams (1932 - )
John Williams was born in New York, but spent his high school years in Los Angeles. He moved back to New York after graduating and attended the famous Julliard School of Music to study piano. He then returned to L.A. and started his career as a composer for television. He began writing for feature films in the late '60's. He is one of the most successful Hollywood composers in history, having won five Academy Awards, as well as dozens of other honors. Williams was commissioned to write this theme for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. It has been a part of the television coverage of every Olympics since then. In his dedication he wrote: "I dedicate this to all participating athletes, from whom we derive so much strength and inspiration."
Music for a Darkened Theater
Danny Elfman (1953 - )
Danny Elfman is one of the few rock and roll musicians to make the transition to film composer. He began his movie career writing for the films of director Tim Burton, including Batman, Beetlejuice, and Edward Scissorhands. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards as well as numerous Emmy, Grammy, and Golden Globe awards.
Raiders of the Lost Ark Medley
John Williams (1932 - )
This summer we were treated to the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series. It seems appropriate to revisit some of the music from the first film. John Williams originally wrote two themes for the "Raider's March" When Steven Speilberg couldn't make up his mind which one he preferred, he asked Williams to combine them. The result is the famous march that we know today.
