By Dan Hershman
The Northwest Symphony Orchestra has been recognized as a strong supporter and advocate of school music programs in the Highline School District in recent years. This support culminates each Fall in a joint performance with the Symphony in a special Family Concert designed for audience members of all ages.
The recent opening of the new Performing Arts and Event Center in Federal Way is allowing this program to expand to Federal Way School District music students. This year for the first time there will be a pair of Family Concerts: at the Highline Performing Arts Center on Friday evening October 27 and on Sunday afternoon October 29 at the newly opened Federal Way Performing Arts and Event Center.
This year’s concerts will feature Highline area choir students in ‘Finlandia’ by Sibelius. Orchestra students from Todd Beamer High School in Federal Way will join in with Mt Rainier High School students from Highline in ‘Saint Paul’s Suite’ by Holst.
The NWSO has a tradition of featuring work by local Northwest composers at each of its concerts. For the Family Concert there will be a performance of ‘Sound Track’ by local Federal Way composer and music educator Brent Irwin.
The main feature of the concert will be a performance of Mussorgsky's ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’ accompanied by animations created by Visual Artist Adrian Wyard. Traditional media synchronization techniques usually require a conductor to carefully follow a pre-made film; however, the method developed by Wyard allows the animator to perform with the orchestra in real time, making the visual media another ‘instrument’ in the orchestra. The animations created for ‘Pictures’ will bring Mussorgsky's colorful music to life for both young children and adult audience members.
Children are invited to wear family-friendly costumes to the concert, all those doing so will be able to participate in a costume parade on stage mid-concert. At the end of the program families will be invited onstage to meet with musicians in an instrument ‘petting zoo’ that is popular for both children and musicians alike.
The concert at Highline Performing Arts Center is at 7:30 PM on Friday October 27th. The Federal Way concert will be at the Performing Arts and Event Center at 3:00 PM on October 29th. For more information call the NWSO at (206) 242-6321. Tickets for the Highline event can be purchased online at brownpapertickets.com. Federal Way tickets can be purchased at the Performing Arts and Event Center website FWPAEC.org.
Dan Hershman is a retired Federal Way Schools music and visual arts teacher, and I'm currently the chair of the City of Federal Way Arts Commission.
