Symphony Moved Audience to Tears, First of Six Concerts this Season
Good news. The lower price and nearer venue means more art for more people in Utah Valley.
Orem, Ut – Students, visitors and the local community in Utah Valley now enjoy unprecedented access to the Utah Symphony with tickets as low as $10 or $20 per performance. The evocative show was the first for the Utah Symphony in its new “long-term home in Utah Valley,” and is the first of six Utah Symphony performances at the Noorda Center for the Performing Arts this season.
A powerful performance
Audiences seemed to float as they gleefully mingled their way into the cool autumn night, leaving the Main Concert hall of the Noorda Center. There, they enjoyed the Utah Symphony’s debut performance featuring The Music of John Williams led by esteemed guest-conductor Jack Everly.
John Williams is responsible for the music in iconic blockbuster films to the like of Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, E.T. and Indiana Jones. He has won 24 Grammy Awards and is second only to Walt Disney for most Academy Award nominations.
“The high points for me were the deeply sad and hauntingly beautiful music from “Schindler’s List” and the triumphant theme from Star Wars,” said President Tuminez in a conversation with The Review.
The riveting and standout performance of a Theme from `Schindler’s List had the audience teary-eyed and on their feet, in the only standing ovation of the night. Featuring concertmaster Madeline Adkins whose violin carried the audience by the heartstrings, giving life to themes from Steven Spielberg’s humanizing classic. A true-tale of a member of the Nazi party who saved over 1,000 Jews during World War II.
Conductor Jack Everly described the numerous ways the score deals with the themes in the film. Namely, the innocence of the slaughtered, the power of an individual standing up to evil and the triumph of the human spirit.
Maestro Jack Everly said that Williams too felt he was not talented enough to write the score of the film, but Adkins performance of the piece was evidence to the contrary.
A new long-term home
From humble roots as a technical college, UVU struck a new note hosting the Utah Symphony and Maestro Jack Everly, who is currently the Principal Pops Conductor for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Naples Philharmonic, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, Canada.
This represents several firsts for UVU, but even more important is what it means for the community at large.
“Situated in the heart of Utah’s fastest growing county, this beautiful new concert hall will become our long-term home in Utah Valley, “ said Paul Meecham, President & CEO of Utah Symphony | Utah Opera. He adds that establishing roots at UVU meets their goal to serve more Utahns and gain support from individuals and businesses.
UVU administration and students are happy about the new partnership as well. Students receive fifty percent off standard price, and if they can get one of the best seats in the house, they won’t pay more than $34.
“I am delighted with the partnership between UVU’s Noorda Center for the Performing Arts and the Utah Symphony. This partnership will bring world-class symphony, opera and other performances right to our doorstep” said President Tuminez. “ Last Wednesday’s performance of John Williams’ music illustrates this. I thought the evening was sublime!”
Tickets can be purchased individually or in packages at utahsymphony.org/thenoorda.