For the fourth year in a row, The University of Tampa Wind Ensemble kicks off its concert season with a musical, video and special-effects presentation called “A Night at the Movies IV.”
Each year, the ensemble partners with UT Media Services and Student Productions to produce a spectacle of lights and a variety of sounds.
This year’s show includes music and video from the blockbusters Showboat, South Pacific, the King and I, Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, Mary Poppins, and Phantom of the Opera.
The show is on Saturday, Oct. 2 in Falk Theatre, from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Early arrival will be necessary to get a seat.
“We had a great crowd last year,” says junior euphonium player Alex Crenshaw.
According to Crenshaw, the euphonium is a brass instrument and resembles a small tuba.
“Typically, this is the way the show has been put together: the silent movie themes are playing on a large projector screen, literally hanging just above our heads.”
Just like a real-life soundtrack, the ensemble plays an adaptation of music from each movie, while flashes of the film are running.
“Sometimes, they’ll have other similar movies interspersed in the clips,” Crenshaw explains. “We normally try for 45 to 50 minutes of music, and the show usually lasts about an hour.”
The musicians will be on stage, and everyone wears black from head-to-toe in order to reduce the amount of light reflected.
The Wind Ensemble is actually much more than just wind instruments.
The group consists of woodwinds, brass and percussion instrumentalists under the direction of Dr. Jeff Traster, the Music Department Chair and Director of Bands.
Each “Night at the Movies” is different from the last, and each production has a unique theme. “Dr. Traster tries to make sure it’s all very different,” said Crenshaw.
“Two years ago was a ‘heroes and villains’ theme. This past year was ‘movie classics,’ like the song ‘As Time Goes By’ from Casablanca and a medley from Magnificent Seven.”
This year’s show is titled “From the Broadway Stage to the Silver Screen.”
It includes a large compilation of music from shows that either went from a theatrical production to a movie, or vice-versa.
“Fiddler on the Roof‘s symphonic dance is the most exciting piece to play,” Crenshaw said. “It definitely has the most complicated literature…lots of notes, awkward rhythms and harmonies some of us might not be used to. And it’s fast, very fast.
Also, Phantom of the Opera is scored very richly. It’s going to sound great in the Falk [Theatre]. Looking forward to it.”
Come out and support the Spartan band in this unique artistic endeavor as they play their way through these popular and timeless favorites. Admission is free.
Sophie Erber can be reached at serber@spartans.ut.edu.