Jenna Bacon, Campus Carrier arts and living editor
On Saturday, Sept., the Rome Symphony Orchestra (RSO) will present STAR WARS In Concert at the Rome City Auditorium. The show will begin at 7:00 p.m.
According to the RSO’s website, the musical group was founded in 1921 and is “the oldest, continuously performing symphony in the South.” The orchestra brings together local musicians who contribute to both the stage and the classroom, including professors, instructors, and graduate students. Performing members of the symphony hail from various parts of the South, including Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee.
A symphony orchestra is a large group of musicians that typically play an instrument in one of four categories: strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. This ensemble of musicians can play a wide variety of music, from classical masterpieces to modern film scores. The group is led by a conductor, and all the musicians play together to bring the music to life.
One way that orchestral music is used to bring life and excitement into people’s lives is through movie soundtracks. The Star Wars soundtrack was created by composer John Williams. The musical scores he composed are what give Star Wars that grand, cinematic feel that we all know and love. The Star Wars sountrack is also catchy. The soundtrack is so well known that even people who aren’t Star Wars fans would recognize the “Imperial March” if they heard it walking down the street.
RSO conductor John Dokken shared why he felt a movie soundtrack would be fitting for an orchestral concert.
“Just like most people, my first introduction to really great instrumental music was through watching movies,” Dokken said. “As a kid you don’t really think about it, but then you realize there is great music happening in all of these movies, and so it holds a special place in my heart.”
The RSO does their best to put on concerts that everyone will enjoy, not just those already familiar with orchestral music. Each performance is the result of extensive planning and preparation. Rome Symphony Orchestra’s General Manager Lucy Coyle shares the extensive work that goes into preparing for a concert season.
“From the minute the last concert is played in June until the first one starts in September, it’s a mad dash,” Coyle said. “The preparation involves connecting with various people, booking locations, etc., etc. It’s probably the busiest job I’ve ever held.”
Kim Tunnell is the president of the RSO’s board of directors. According to Tunnell, board members play a big role in making sure everything runs smoothly at events.
“Board members work as ushers, box office attendants, and we help run the concession,” said Tunnell. “We make sure that everything’s supported for the location of the event and any of the the periphery that’s happening outside of what is happening on stage.”
The ensemble places a strong emphasis on mentoring and empowering young musicians across the local community. The group collaborates with local colleges, universities and high schools to perform concerts of various musical genres, including classical, jazz and pops/light classical. Their annual Young Artist Competition gives young musicians a chance to win a cash scholarship and the opportunity to perform with the RSO during their next season. The competition is open to any college or graduate student under the age of 25 and any high school student who studies their instrument or voice privately.
The RSO also hosts the Rome Youth Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble of young musicians instructed by professional musicians Samantha and Joe Lester. The two groups perform a collaborative concert every year, allowing the members of the Rome Youth Symphony to play alongside professional musicians for a night. On Friday, the orchestra will perform their Star Wars show at the GEM Theatre in Cartersville, Georgia.
To see upcoming concerts and to buy tickets for the Star Wars event, check out the Rome Symphony Orchestra’s website at
http://www.romesymphony.org.