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Toe-tapping, memory-inducing tunes

The Hernando Symphony Orchestra invites listeners to go "Somewhere in Time.'

By LOGAN NEILL
Published February 17, 2006

For its spring pops concert series, titled "Somewhere in Time," the Hernando Symphony Orchestra hopes to take its listeners to faraway, yet familiar places.

Whether the musical notion is cosmic in nature, such as Richard Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra or the film score from Star Wars, or something more down to earth such as music from The Wizard of Oz, the program is filled with tunes that most people know by heart, said symphony director Wayne Raymond.

"We're covering a lot of different territory," Raymond said of the program. "There are some serious pieces, but the whole thing is very family friendly. People will find a lot of fun in the music as well."

In creating the program, Raymond said he paid particular attention to music he hoped young people would find attractive. And he admits he has a soft spot in his heart for the sweeping, emotive film scores of John Williams.

"The music is wonderfully vivid," Raymond said. "And because it's so familiar to people, I think it's helped draw young people to become more interested in orchestral music."

The orchestra will perform two of Williams' best-known works, including a medley of themes from Star Wars, as well as the theme music from ET: The Extraterrestrial.

The program will also sample other familiar film, TV and stage music such as the theme from the original Superman movie and from the Broadway musical Cats. From the classic realm, Raymond chose two pieces, Modest Mussorgsky's A Night On Bald Mountain and Jupiter, from Gustav Holst's serial work The Planets.

Two solo performances will spotlight orchestra veterans. Principal trombonist Jay Leaman will perform Hoagy Carmichael's pop classic Stardust; pianist Sylvia Leaman will perform Somewhere in Time. The orchestra's clarinet quartet (Lee Cave, Donna Dono, Marilyn Scaccio and Mike Konrad) will offer a medley of ragtime classics.

Said Raymond: "The (program) offers a lot of variety and styles of music that we haven't explored before. It's fun, not too heavy, and I think our audiences will really enjoy it."

Logan Neill can be reached at lneill@sptimes.com or 352 848-1435.

WHAT: Hernando Symphony Orchestra presents its winter concert series, "Somewhere in Time."

WHEN: 2 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25.

WHERE: The Sunday and Tuesday concerts are at Springstead Theater, 3300 Mariner Blvd., Spring Hill. The Feb. 25 performance is at the Hernando High Performing Arts Center, 700 Bell Ave, Brooksville.

ADMISSION: $10. For ticket information, call 597-9555.

[Last modified February 17, 2006, 02:15:35]