The Symphonic Pops of Long Island joins Huntington High School’s symphony orchestra on Sunday, March 2, for a tribute to Broadway and film tunes entitled “Witches, Pirates & Dragons.”
Showtime is 2 p.m. in the auditorium of Huntington High School, located at 188 Oakwood Road in Huntington. No tickets are required, although a $10 donation per adult is suggested, according to the Huntington High School website.
Symphonic Pops Music Director Taylor Massey said the students came up with an inspiring theme that celebrates Broadway and film soundtracks. It is a topic that opened the door to exploring the origin of these songs—like the iconic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”—and fueled the discovery that many of these songs draw inspiration from composers throughout the centuries.
“The concert is really designed to do a couple of basic things that we think are really special,” Massey told South Shore Press. “No. 1 is bringing together musicians of all ages to include the community orchestra, which is a primarily adult group, many of whom are retired professionals and teachers of music, but then also with the Huntington High School string orchestra, who are very dedicated, highly motivated, young students of music.”
Although some musicians are seasoned by decades of experience and the high school students are still developing their skills, they share a common passion, Massey noted. “There's passion felt by everyone with every level of experience and hopefully including the audience,” he said.
In harmony with the chosen theme, he said, “The first half of the show is music that we feel makes for interesting discussion on what is the pre-existing inspiration that these film composers have used to design these soundtracks—these really famous soundtracks that give the audience exactly the emotion they're supposed to have at that perfect moment as the action on the screen is happening.”
With the film release of “Wicked,” the students considered the timing right to follow the yellow bricks back to its “Wizard of Oz” roots and play “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” he said, describing it as a “very moving” adaptation for orchestra.
Massey comes to the Symphonic Pops of Long Island from Alabama and brings a long history as a trumpet player that started in high school and continued through his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, according to his bio. While serving in the Marines, he earned a Master of Music degree from Boston University and a Certificate of Advanced Performance Studies in Orchestra Conducting from East Carolina University.
Today, a multi-generational orchestra for all ages, the Symphonic Pops, started in 1979 as an outlet for senior citizen musicians.
What Massey likes about his association with this group is how music puts everyone on the same page. “They like being around each other, and you can’t take that for granted,” he said.